Larijani: Human Rights Negotiations with Europe Stem from 'System's Demand' and Will Be Conditional

Mohammad Javad Larijani, Secretary of the Human Rights Headquarters of Iran's Judiciary, stated on Wednesday that the human rights negotiations with the European Union are based on the 'system's demand', but these negotiations will be conditional on certain matters. According to Mizan, the news agency of the Judiciary, Mohammad Javad Larijani expressed during the television program 'Special News Dialogue' that in the human rights negotiations with Europe, which will be conducted by experienced diplomats, we will not withhold any assistance that is needed. The Secretary of the Human Rights Headquarters of the Judiciary added that a combination of judicial officials, legal experts, and politicians interested in the legal field will participate in the interactive dialogue with Europeans regarding human rights. He emphasized: 'The human rights negotiations with Europeans stem from the system's demand and will be conditional on certain matters.' Mohammad Javad Larijani pointed out that the Iranian Judiciary is 'always the target of the most attacks regarding human rights from the West', stating that Westerners criticize our laws, which are derived from Islam, the most. He added that 90 percent of executions that occur in the country are due to crimes related to drug laws. Before Mohammad Javad Larijani, Sadeq Larijani Amoli, the head of the Judiciary, had requested the 'Human Rights Headquarters, the Supreme National Security Council, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' to open discussions about human rights with Europeans. He also stated that discussions about human rights with Europe would be conditional on being 'mutual'. While Iranian Judiciary officials are raising the issue of human rights dialogue with Europe, on Tuesday, the Deputy for Europe and America of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran stated that 'two representatives of the Union are currently active in the Dutch embassy to follow up on related matters' at the independent office of this Union in Tehran. At the end of Federica Mogherini's visit, the EU's foreign policy chief, to Tehran, a joint statement was released emphasizing 'annual' and 'regular' political dialogue and economic cooperation, stating that both sides should 'enter into human rights discussions'. Iran and the European Union had previously engaged in negotiations on human rights during Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's presidency within the framework of 'critical dialogue with Iran'. These negotiations continued during Mohammad Khatami's presidency.