TEHRAN - An Iranian MP has responded to the groundless allegations being levelled against Iran under pretext of human and minorities’ rights.

Speaking at the 18th session of the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues held is taking place in Geneva on 27 & 28 of November 2025, Kamal Hosseinpoor lashed out at the presence of terrorist and secessionist groups, namely the self-proclaimed and mercenary al-Ahvazieh group, saying the entity has armed wings to achieve terrorist objectives and has openly claimed responsibility for its acts of terror.

The theme of the UN event is “the contribution of minorities to diverse, resilient and peaceful societies.”

The al-Ahvazhieh is a separatist insurgent terrorist group which advocates the secession of a large area in southern Iran, including all of Khuzestan Province and Bushehr Province, from the country, and the establishment of an "Arab" state, a goal which it is attempting to achieve by carrying out terrorist attacks against Iran. 

Headquartered in Denmark and the Netherlands, the group has claimed responsibility for several assassinations, attacks against energy infrastructure and civilian soft targets, including a deadly terrorist attack on a military parade in the Iranian city of Ahwvaz, the capital of Khuzestan province, on 22 September 2018. Iran’s intelligence apparatus has found the group is primarily funded by Israel. 

Approximately 2% to 5% of the population in southern Iran speaks both Arabic and Persian. They have lived alongside Iranian Bakhtiari, Lor, and several other groups for centuries. Israel has been founding and funding separatist groups not only in southern Iran but also along its northern, western, and eastern borders for years. However, these efforts have not yielded any results in sowing disunity among Iranians, who together have been living as one entity—Iran—since at least the 6th century BC. 

The vast majority of Iranians who advocate for the disintegration of the country reside in Western countries. These individuals have openly backed the Israeli genocide in Gaza and lauded the regime’s war against Iran in June, an illegal assault that killed approximately 1,100 people, predominantly civilians.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian parliamentarian recalled that al-Ahvazieh has been branded a terrorist grouping by some countries, saying such entities should not be given the chance to spread lies at the UN.

“Unfortunately, today we are witnessing a coordinated and pre-planned attack against my country under the name of human and minorities’ rights, which run counter to the United Nations’ principles of universality and neutrality,” he explained.

He underlined anyone who commits an offense will be dealt with according to the law regardless of whether they are Muslims or religious minorities.
“Simply being a Baha’i or non-Muslim is no reason to receive punishment,” he said.