TEHRAN – The Iranian envoy’s effective defense thwarted the UK’s attempt to shift the focus of the 16th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva from the criminal actions of Muammar Gaddafi against the Libyan people to the situation of human rights in Iran.

During the session, the representatives of different countries read out statements about the situation of human rights in other countries.
Most of the countries’ statements focused on the widespread violation of human rights in Libya, but the UK representative tried to change the focus of the session and raised the alleged human rights violation in Iran.
Later, the Iranian representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva responded firmly to the allegations and in his statement elaborated on the blatant violation of human rights by the U.S. and UK governments.
Following is the text of the Iranian representative’s statement:
My delegation is exercising its right of reply to the statement read out earlier today (Monday) by the delegation of the United States and the UK.
The United States of America and the UK are living through their worst records on human rights ever. This is an irrefutable argument that in recent years the violation of human rights by these governments has dramatically increased.
It is one of the phenomenal ironies of our era that a government who itself has been condemned by the people of the world, as the worst dictatorial entity and most notorious violator of human rights all over the world, makes pretends to have human rights concern in other parts of the world.
Human rights groups have repeatedly condemned U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan which have killed hundreds of civilians since 2006. Killing civilians by unmanned drone attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan and establishing secret detention centers in various parts of the world are clear examples of gross human rights violations.
The government of the United States unconditionally supports the inhuman treatment of the Israeli regime against Palestinian people. Just recently the United States vetoed the resolution of the Security Council on settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The government of the United States against its promises has failed to close Guantanamo detention center. This center is the world’s most famous example of human rights violations.
The outstanding cases which I have just alluded to, is only a handful of instances of gross violation of human rights, and as a matter of fact the tip of ice berg, and undoubtedly, one can imagine the full extent of the U.S. government’s violation and disrespect for all internationally accepted human rights obligations, norms and standards.
International community expects a real change in the attitude of the United States towards human rights both domestically and abroad.