Iran: Canada draft resolution flawed

The Iranian mission at the United Nations says a Canada-introduced draft resolution against the country is “flawed” and “inaccurate.”

“It was obvious that the draft resolution had nothing to do with human rights, but was a politically motivated exercise to serve the narrow political purpose of Canada and other co-sponsors,” Iran’s representative was quoted by the UN’s website as saying on Wednesday.

The comments came after head of Iranian Foreign Ministry’s international economic and specialized organizations, Mahmoud Barimani, told the assembly that Tehran had spent USD 500 million in reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Canada has during the past years stepped up pressure on Tehran, issuing several statements condemning Iran.

The country has for the last seven years presented an Iran resolution at the UN General Assembly accusing the Islamic Republic of human rights violations within the county.

Addressing the General Assembly, the Iranian envoy said the resolution “in no way, corresponded with actual human rights in Iran and its content reflected flawed, inaccurate and unfounded allegations.”

The representative said his country would respond to the allegations in due time.

The envoy criticized Canada’s track record on human rights saying that the country’s minority groups “including African Canadians and aboriginal people, continued to face discrimination in all walks of life.”

“The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women had also noted with concern that a disproportionate number of aboriginal and indigenous women and girls continued to suffer from a high level of discrimination and violence,” he added.

Last month Amnesty International criticized Ottawa’s stance on indigenous women saying that they are “facing the most pervasive human rights crisis in Canada today.”

“The profound impact of violence experienced by Aboriginal women and girls in Canada has created a national tragedy,” the Iranian mission said in a statement.