Iran Dismisses Accusations Levelled in US’ Report on Human Trafficking

In a Monday statement, Qassemi said Tehran rejects the biased, biased, and politically-motivated report by the US State Department which has been built on unreliable sources and information.

“The report levels baseless and unrealistic accusations against other countries including the Islamic Republic on human trafficking,” he said.

The spokesman also said through such reports the US government is seeking to distract the world’s public opinion from its meddlesome and destabilising policies which have considerably prepared the ground for creation and expansion of organised criminal networks of human traffickers across the world, especially in Western Asia and Africa.

He then referred to the growing concerns of the international community over human trafficking, particularly trafficking of women and children, saying the US’ unilateral moves to rank other countries based on organised crimes including human trafficking and release biased reports against them not only stand in violation of the international law and regulations but also undermine international cooperation and efforts in fight against the crimes.

“Therefore the US government should be held accountable for its unilateral moves,” he concluded.

In its latest report on human trafficking released on June 28, the US State Department said Belarus, Iran, Russia, and Turkmenistan remain among the worst offenders of human trafficking and forced labour.

The department’s annual Trafficking report titled “In Persons” was unveiled in a ceremony in Washington by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and presidential adviser Ivanka Trump.

It evaluates 187 countries and territories and ranks them into four tiers (Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 2 Watch List, and Tier 3), with Tier 1 being the best and Tier 3 the worst.

Russia, Belarus, Iran, and Turkmenistan were among 22 countries ranked as Tier 3. Others included Myanmar, China, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela.