TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian Justice Minister Jamal Karimi Rad criticized the West’s double standards for human rights, mentioning that western countries misuse human rights as a lever to practice their policies.
Speaking in a meeting with Austria’s Ambassador to Tehran Michael Pustel here on Wednesday, Karimi Rad stressed reinvigoration and development of judiciary ties between the two countries, and pointed out that there has never been any impediment in the way of Tehran-Vienna age-old judiciary relations.
He further noted expansion of ties with Austria, and reminded that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) endorsed by the Iranian and Austrian judiciary systems has so far resulted in several visits to Tehran by Austrian officials.
The minister informed that his colleagues have prepared a document on mutual rights, and voiced Iran’s readiness to sign a MoU on the expansion of judiciary cooperation, extradition of criminals and implementation of judiciary deputyship by the two countries.
He also expressed regret that Austria had not taken any action after it received Iran’s deputyship in the case of a group of terrorists who had committed several crimes in Iran and organized meetings in Austria after they fled the country.
The official reminded that Iran is an Islamic state founded on the rules and teachings of Islam, adding, “And we have made tireless efforts to take fundamental steps towards promotion of human rights in all grounds.”
He further lashed out at the West’s view about human rights, asserting that human rights are not practiced in the real sense of the word in the world, “rather, the issue has turned into a lever for the western countries to impose their policies on others.”
“Some international bodies are miles away from their primary and principal goals, given the authorities and assignments vested to them,” the Iranian Justice Minister continued.
Elaborating on the West’s double standards towards human rights, he pointed to the performance of the United Nations Security Council during the 33 days of Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and added, “the West and the UN Security Council call for the trial of some of the world criminals as soon as the crime is committed, but they never call for a global decision to be made in the face of the crimes which are being committed in Lebanon and Palestine.”
For his part, Austria’s Ambassador to Tehran Michael Pustel called for the expansion of the two countries’ judiciary ties.