"The Islamic Republic is fully committed to the protection and promotion of human rights and respects its international obligations. Accordingly, yesterday it submitted its fourth national report on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to the Human Rights Committee," said Esmaeil Baghaei Hamaneh at the forty-seventh session of the Human Rights Council.
"We call on all countries to adhere to the principles of universality, impartiality and non-selectivity in dealing with human rights issues and the elimination of double standards and political work," he added, saying, "We call on all those who really care about human rights to recognize the need for the rule of law and the centrality of judicial systems in upholding the rule of law and protecting human rights."
Stating that the Iranian people have shown maximum resistance to the coercive, unilateral and brutal actions of the former US regime, which was used as a strategy to put maximum pressure on the Iranians, Baghaei Hamaneh said, "The United States continues the illegal and inhumane legacy of the former administration, which is completely contrary to international law and the fundamental principles of humanity."
"The United States intensified its unilateral sanctions even at the time of the pandemic, regardless of the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on October 3, 2018, which ordered the United States to remove any restrictions on the export of food, medicine and medical equipment." the Iranian diplomat added.
"The United States, its supporters, and countries that enforce Washington's unilateral and coercive measures must be held accountable for widespread and grave human rights abuses," he stressed.
According to Baghaei Hamaneh, how can those who carry out such brutal unilateral coercive actions logically claim that they care about the human rights of Iranians.
The Iranian envoy went on to say, "The anti-Iran report of the Human Rights Council is based on a purely political agenda presented by a group of like-minded or partisan countries that have long used human rights as part of their hostile plans against Iran. The product of such a prejudicial mission is inevitably the strengthening of prejudices."
"The Human Rights Council report is one of four annual reports, all of which are similar in content and tone, inevitably prepared to fulfil the mission of several Western countries, to put pressure on Iran," he underlined.
"These successive reports, each year, are based on relevant General Assembly resolutions submitted by Canada, a country that more than a decade ago decided to sever diplomatic relations with Iran for no apparent reason and also insists on its policy of depriving the Iranian community of its basic consular rights, motivated by targeting Iran and promoting negative stereotypes," Baghaei Hamaneh said.
The Islamic Republic of Iran, in spite of its considerations for the text, tried in good faith to correct the mass of misinformation, false and baseless claims, he said, adding, "We hoped that the responsible and professional approach of Iran would be reciprocated by the authors of the report, but the vast majority of Iran's 60-page comments and explanations were ignored."
"We continue our interactive approach to help promote and protect all human rights for all, including through constructive engagement with other countries, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and relevant authorities," the Iranian envoy said.
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