“Such reports have fundamental flaws in essence and that is why they lack validity from Iran’s viewpoint,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Wednesday, after the UN chief gave a negative assessment of human rights in Iran in a 19-page report, released this week.
Ban has said he remains “deeply troubled” by what he called accounts “of executions, floggings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, unfair trials, denial of access to medical care and possible torture and ill-treatment” in Iran.
In response, Qassemi said the report lacks credibility since it has been prepared on the basis of “cruel, unfair and politically-motivated resolutions” with the purpose of exerting pressure on Iran.
What casts more doubt on the credibility of the report is that it has used unclear and unreliable sources, he added.
“The report makes an unfair, one-sided and incorrect judgement on Iran’s human rights situation and has missed the opportunity for an evenhanded and fair assessment based on facts,” the spokesman added.
Highlighting Iran’s efforts to promote human rights and protect civil rights under the Constitution, Qassemi said Ban’s report has ignored the Islamic Republic’s struggle against major challenges, such as the fight against narcotics trafficking and dealing with cruel sanctions.
The spokesman finally warned of erosion of trust in the United Nations as a result of continued politicization of issues, adoption of double standards on human rights and turning a blind eye to the killing of women and children in Yemen.
Such a poor performance dashes hopes about the UN’s role in promoting the human rights situation in the world, he deplored.
