Tehran condemns anti-Iran draft resolution

Iran's envoy to the UN in Geneva Friday condemned the "masterminds" of a recent anti-Iran draft resolution referring to them as old-fashioned people pursuing a political agenda.

A statement published by the Iranian foreign ministry Saturday said Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Mohsen Naziri-Asl, said those behind the draft resolution against Iran's human rights record were trying to deepen a rift among countries and consequently, impose their norms upon others, IRNA reported Saturday.

He made the remarks while addressing the 25th meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in the Swiss city.

Naziri-Asl referred to the drafting of the anti-Iran resolution as a dangerous act which would encourage competition instead of cooperation and weaken the basic principles of the international body.

"In reality, the claim by the main sponsors of this resolution regarding human rights advocacy has proved to be a myth, as they have, in numerous occasions, put on display their fully politicized approach to human rights issues," he said in a statement.

He added that Iran's positive achievements in the field of human rights resulting from the country's constructive interaction with the international community, were ignored in the draft resolution.

The Iranian diplomat referred to Tehran's reports to the international human rights monitoring bodies as well as its constructive cooperation with the UN Human Rights Council as examples of those positive achievements.