By Tasnim News (Politics) | Created at 2024-11-21 06:45:41 | Updated at 2024-11-21 09:46:55
3 hours ago
Speaking at a session of the UN Third Committee, held in New York on Wednesday to discuss Canada's anti-human rights resolution against Iran, Zahra Ershadi decried Canada’s “selective, biased, and hypocritical” resolution against Iran.
Here is the full text of her speech:
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
Madam Chair,
The Islamic Republic of Iran categorically rejects the unjust and politically motivated resolution concerning the human rights situation in our country. While we acknowledge that there is always room for improvement, it is crucial to underscore the selective, biased, and hypocritical nature of this resolution.
Madam Chair,
Last year, my former Canadian counterpart could hardly contain his frustration when I addressed the violations of human rights in his country and its allies. So, let’s take a closer look at Canada’s recent track record.
On October 26, 2022, a heinous terrorist attack targeted pilgrims at the holy shrine of Shah-e-Cheragh in Shiraz, resulting in the martyrdom of 15 innocent Iranians, including women and children, and injuring 30 others. On January 3, 2024, two terrorist explosions near the burial site of Iran’s hero General Qassem Soleimani in Kerman claimed at least 103 lives, including children and women, and left 211 others injured. What was Canada’s response to the slaughter of innocent Iranian women and children by Daesh? Absolutely nothing! Just a deafening silence!
On June 28 and July 5, 2024, presidential elections were held peacefully and successfully in Iran and other countries. Canada was the only nation to ban the election. Despite Canada’s hostile policy to prevent Iranians from participating in the democratic election process, a significant number of Iranians residing in Canada went to great lengths—travelling to neighboring countries—to partake in the fate of their nation.
In light of these actions, how can we possibly trust Canada’s concern for human rights in my country? The reality is, the Iranian people neither rejoice at your insincere smiles nor weep at your crocodile tears. They understand that, it is their unity and resilience that drive their nation forward, especially regarding human rights. The architect of this resolution is utterly ignorant of Iran—its people, culture, religion, and rich civilization. Consequently, Canada has drafted its anti-Iranian resolution out of arrogance and ignorance, claiming to champion Iranian human rights without any genuine support, least of all from Iranian women.
Madam Chair,
The sponsors of this resolution—namely Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany—brazenly support the heinous atrocities committed by the usurping and child-killing Israeli regime. The United States vetoes any resolutions and amendments aimed at halting the killings and establishing an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Alongside Germany, the two leading arms suppliers to the Israeli regime support it militarily, making them complicit in these war crimes. The United Kingdom supports US policies, justifying any crime committed by this regime as legitimate right to self-defense and its Foreign Secretary shamelessly refused to describe what’s been going on in Gaza as genocide. Canada either stands mute in the face of the ongoing genocide in Gaza or secretly dispatches military forces to bolster the Israeli regime under various pretexts.
Madam Chair,
Distinguished Colleagues,
Was the massacre of women and children, the horrific burning of children before their mothers’ very eyes, insufficient for the German Foreign Minister to rush to the Human Rights Council or the Third Committee with the core International Human Rights Treaties Book in hand and urge all countries to pass a resolution against the Zionist fanatics?
Of course not! She wouldn’t dare jeopardize the profits from arms sales to the Israeli regime for the sake of Palestinian women and children. Or has the number of children dismembered daily not reached the desired number in Canada, which still remains silent about the Israeli regime’s genocide? This is truly an astonishing expectation from a country that committed genocide against Indigenous children in its own country.
The brutal repression of hundreds of university students, professors, and staff—beaten and arbitrarily detained for daring to stand in solidarity with Gaza—exposes the staggering hypocrisy at the core of so-called “freedom of expression” and “freedom of assembly.” Even refugees who dare to voice support for Palestinian freedom now face the looming threat of deportation across certain European countries, proving that these supposed democracies protect rights only when it suits their political interests.
There are no boundaries to the hypocrisy, blatant double standards, and selective application of human rights in the foreign policy of Canada and its allies.
In conclusion, Madam Chair,
The Islamic Republic of Iran remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights. It will continue its constructive cooperation and engagement with UN human rights mechanisms as well as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). In light of the foregoing, Madam Chair, I ask for a vote on the draft resolution [L.41] with the sincere hope that representatives choose the right course by voting against it.
I thank you.
