Resolution against Iran, Russia to discredit UN: Envoy

Iran has deplored a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly’s Human Rights Committee against Tehran and Moscow, saying the move will only discredit the international body.

The non-binding resolution is aimed at undermining the campaign against terrorism and extremism and will only discredit the UN and its General Assembly, Iran’s Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Gholamhossein Dehghani said on Friday.

The resolution, authored by Saudi Arabia and co-sponsored by Qatar and other Arab countries, the United States and other Western powers, was adopted by the 193-nation General Assembly’s Third Committee on Thursday. There were 115 votes in favor, 15 against and 51 abstentions.

The resolution condemns and calls for an immediate end to all attacks against what it describes as the Syrian moderate opposition. It claims that such attacks benefit IS and other terrorist groups, including al-Nusra Front.

Dehghani further said Iran is active in Syria upon an official request made by the Syrian government to provide consultations to the war-hit country.

“Therefore, the adoption of such a text is violation of international regulations and a breach of governments’ right to establish peace in their own territory,” the envoy said.

He said such claims are aimed at taking revenge against forces that have so far played the most effective role in the battle against terrorism and extremism, adding that the IS terrorists would have overran more areas in the Middle East in the absence of such forces.

The Iranian diplomat reiterated that the resolution would act as an award for extremists and terrorists as well as all those who use financial and logistical resources to spread extremist and terrorist ideologies.

Dehghani emphasized that the adoption of such resolutions was the outcome of the structurally flawed UN human rights mechanism.