Iran criticized the reelection of Saudi Arabia to the UN Human Rights Council.
A Sunday report by IRNA quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi as saying that the election is "the best indication that human rights is merely serving political interests."
Regional powers Iran and Saudi Arabia have no diplomatic relations and support opposite sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen. Iraq, Egypt, China, Brazil, Rwanda, Hungary, Cuba, South Africa, Japan, Tunisia, the US and the UK also won seats on the council on Friday, AP reported.
Human rights groups had called on countries to reject the candidacy of Saudi Arabia, which continues to conduct indiscriminate attacks against civilians in Yemen.
A Saudi-led military coalition is battling Houthi fighters in the impoverished Arab country to reinstate the fugitive president Abd-Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
