Iran: European officials use human rights as tool in political games to interfere in countries’ affairs

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has censured officials of some European countries for making instrumental use of human rights to interfere in other countries’ affairs.

Nasser Kan'ani’s remarks came in reaction to the French president’s interventionist remarks about the recent riots in Iran.

President Emmanuel Macron made those remarks during the reception of a new batch of so-called human rights defenders in France within the Marianne Initiative, accusing Iran of “oppressing women and young girls.”

The Iranian spokesman said, “Unfortunately, officials of some European countries use human rights as a tool in [their] political games to interfere in other countries’ affairs and we condemn this destructive approach."

He added that Iran’s principled policy is respect for and abidance by the fundamentals of human rights, including the protection of human dignity and countering oppression.

“However, the false advocates of human rights are complicit in brazen violations of those rights through giving refuge to leaders and members of terrorist groups in their countries and supporting them, and by remaining silent in the face of the daily massacre of Palestinians by the infanticide Zionist regime and supporting aggression and occupation,” Kan'ani said.

He said, “Unfortunately, under the guise of defending freedom of expression, France considers Muslims' reaction against insults to the Holy Qur'an and their religious beliefs as an attack on laicity.”

“However, they have forgotten that barring criticism of the Zionist regime is an indubitable violation of the principle of freedom of expression,” Kan'ani said.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman concluded by saying, “It is evident that such behavioral contradictions and double-standard policies will not be ignored by the world’s freedom-seeking and independent people.”

On Monday, a Dutch politician tore apart a copy of the Holy Qur'an in the city of The Hague. It followed an incident in Sweden where a politician burned a copy of the Qur’an outside the Turkish embassy.

The politician committed the scandalous act after receiving permission from Swedish authorities who provided police guards to ensure nobody prevented it. 

Desecration of Holy Qur'an insult to all Abrahamic religions, humanity: President Raeisi

Iran

The outrageous acts have drawn strong condemnation from Muslims, with many states such as Iran, Pakistan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates denouncing the provocative and Islamophobic move.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the sacrilegious act shows that the arrogant powers’ attacks are aimed at Islam itself.

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