IRAN, UNHRC 58th Session

Statement by a Russian representative during the Interactive Dialogue on the situation in Iran, 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

(March 18, 2025, Geneva)

Russia firmly opposes the politicization of human rights, which the "collective West" has turned into a tool of pressure against states that refuse to follow an externally imposed agenda. Iran serves as a clear example of how Western countries, under the guise of pseudo-humanitarian concerns, persist in their long-standing strategy of destabilizing governments they disfavor, including by encouraging unrest and violence.

To "accelerate" this process, the illegitimate sanctions regime against Iran is being further tightened, leading to severe humanitarian consequences. The continued application of sanctions clearly demonstrates the true value of Western statements about their alleged "concern" for the rights of Iran's citizens.

We consider the introduction of destructive approaches into specialized international platforms, including the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), to be unacceptable. We categorically oppose the politically motivated and detached-from-reality resolutions on Iran that the Council adopts annually, as they have nothing to do with genuine human rights protection. We believe that politically motivated labeling only discredits UN bodies. Meanwhile, the initiators of such actions, as is well known, do not have the most impeccable record in the field of human rights themselves.