Iran's Reaction to UN Resolution: We Condemn the Instrumental Use of Human Rights

The Iranian Foreign Ministry reacted to the adoption of a resolution protesting human rights violations in Iran by condemning the "instrumental use of human rights and international mechanisms." Bahram Qasemi, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, on Friday, November 25, referred to the resolution on the human rights situation in Iran passed during the third committee of the 73rd UN General Assembly in New York, naming some countries supporting this resolution as "the biggest violators of human rights in their own countries and others." Qasemi described this action as "the instrumental use of human rights and international mechanisms by some Western countries, the child-killing Zionist regime, and reactionary regimes in the region," and deemed it "strongly condemned and rejected." The third committee of the UN General Assembly passed the Canadian-proposed resolution condemning human rights violations in Iran with 85 votes in favor, 30 against, and 68 abstentions. This resolution is set to be voted on in the UN General Assembly next month. According to the spokesperson, "This resolution was prepared and adopted based on a selective, discriminatory, biased perspective and political goals, without considering the existing realities in Iran." He stated that the continuation of what he termed "the instrumental use of human rights and international mechanisms" undermines the international community's trust in international mechanisms and questions their effectiveness and efficiency in necessary and urgent situations. The adopted resolution, which Iran objects to, states: "Reports from the UN Secretary-General and the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights indicate that the human rights situation in Iran has worsened over the past year, with an increase in the systematic repression of protesters, journalists, and social media users." The resolution also expresses concern over the continued execution of juveniles who have committed crimes under the age of 18. The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry considered the "Universal Periodic Review" (UPR) mechanism as the appropriate and universal framework for assessing human rights in countries. According to Bahram Qasemi, in this mechanism, "all countries are reviewed without discrimination," and he stated that "Iran's constructive and active participation in this mechanism demonstrates Iran's seriousness in promoting human rights and fulfilling its international commitments through constructive cooperation and dialogue-based mechanisms." The UPR is the new human rights reference of the UN, established in 2006 by a vote in the UN General Assembly. Previously, Iranian officials have rejected and condemned reports on the human rights situation in Iran prepared by UN special rapporteurs, labeling them as "political."