US accountable for rights violation

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman says American authorities must be held accountable for human rights violations both inside and outside the US.

“We are glad that, for the first time, attention will be directed to inside the US … American authorities should be held accountable for human rights violations in their country and other countries,” Ramin Mehmanparast said at his weekly press conference on Tuesday in response to a question regarding an upcoming UN meeting on US rights record.

He said that the US should be held responsible over numerous cases, including “desecration of religious sanctities, acts of violence … and torture of prisoners, and violating the rights of the country’s minorities.”

The United Nations’ Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which is held once every four years, involves a review of the human rights records of all UN member states.

The ninth session of the UPR will be held on November 1-12 during which the human rights status of 16 countries, including the US, will be discussed.

Regarding the US mid-term congressional elections, Mehmanparast said Tehran does not expect Washington’s foreign policy to change after the elections.

He said there has been no major change in the bedrock of US policy since Democrats came to power.

France

The Iranian official advised Iranian citizens to avoid making “non-essential” trips to France due to rising tension in the country.

Iranian fishermen

Mehmanparast confirmed that Qatar has detained six Iranian fishermen and said that Iran was pursuing the matter through both the Iranian embassy and consulate in Qatar to secure their release.

He said that the sailors had involuntarily entered Qatar’s waters.

MKO

Mehmanparast said that neither the Iranian nor Iraqi people could tolerate the presence of the terrorist Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) in the war-ravaged country.

The Iranian diplomat hoped that the Iraqi government would firmly deal with the issue as soon as a new government is formed.

Sanctions

Mehmanparast went on to describe the new round of UN Security Council sanctions and unilateral measures against Iran as “illegal.”

He said it was not acceptable for certain countries to pressure their allies into supporting unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic.