UN Rights Report “Flawed”

Iran said a new United Nations report on the human rights situation in the country is “untrue” and “politically-motivated”, saying the document holds no value as it ignores the many steps Tehran has taken to meet its rights obligations and development goals. “As we have already witnessed time and again in the past, these reports are flawed both in nature and approach, and thus hold no value in the eye of the Islamic Republic,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on Friday, Press TV reported. He made the remarks in reaction to a new report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that is scheduled to be presented at the 37th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which began on February 26 and lasts until March 23. Guterres has accused Iran of a range of human rights violations from mistreating journalists to arbitrary detentions and unfair trials. Qasemi said the report has “many flaws and shortcomings” as it is based on a “political and unfair resolution”, and is drawn up according to “inauthentic and totally incredible sources and data”. Moreover, a total ignorance of Iran’s progress and achievements in upholding human rights has contributed to the production of an unbalanced and particularly biased report.”