TEHRAN - On behalf of the NAM member states, Iran on Monday denounced the misuse of human rights for advancing political purposes.

Iran is the current president of 121-memebr Non-Aligned Movement.
Qolamhossein Dehqani, ambassador and deputy permanent representative of Iran to the UN, told the Security Council that the abuse of human rights undermines the universal foundation of human rights.

Below is the full text of Dehqani’s speech:

Mr. President,

On behalf of the Member States of the Non- Aligned Movement, I would like to express the Movement’s sympathy with the families of the victims of the terrorist attacks committed by the terrorist group of Daesh during the last ten days in Paris, Beirut and Baghdad. The Movement strongly condemns those terrorist attacks and extends its condolences to the governments and peoples of France, Lebanon and Iraq. Those terrorist attacks once again proved that the terrorism and violent extremism are global threats, and combating them requires global cooperation.

Mr. President,

NAM reaffirms that democracy, development and respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. The international community should support the strengthening and promotion of democracy, development and respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms in the entire world, without distinction between developed and developing countries. In this regard, we recall the commitments made by the Head of States and Governments of the Non-Aligned Movement during the different NAM summits.

We also reaffirm that all human rights, in particular the right to development, are universal, inalienable, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated, and that human rights issues must be addressed within the global context through a constructive, non-confrontational, non­ politicized, non-selective, impartial, transparent and dialogue-based approach. They should be also addressed in a fair and equal manner, with objectivity and respect for all principles enshrined in the UN Charter, including the respect for national sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of States, the right to self-determination of all peoples under foreign occupation and colonial or alien domination, as the guiding principles, taking also into account the political, historical, social, religious and cultural particularities of each country.

Mr. President,

NAM stresses the need to preserve the positive developments achieved since the establishment of the Human Rights Council in the context of its work, including its institutional building package. Furthermore, NAM reaffirms the need to ensure that human rights are not used for political purposes and adopting politically motivated decisions, and to avoid the problems which plagued the former Human Rights Commission.

The Movement also recalls General Assembly resolution 62/155 which emphasizes that all actors on the international scene s h o u 1 d build an international order based on inclusion, justice, equality and equity, human dignity, mutual understanding and promotion of and respect for cultural diversity and universal human rights and to reject all doctrines of exclusion based on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

Mr. President,

The movement emphasizes the role of the Human Rights Council as a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly responsible for consideration of human rights situations in all countries in the context of the Universal Periodic Review based on cooperation and constructive dialogue. In this regard, the Movement expresses its deep concern over the continuation and the proliferation of the practice of selective adoption of country-specific resolutions in the Human Rights Council, which is a tool that exploits human rights for political purposes and breaches the principles of universality, objectivity and non­ selectivity in addressing human rights issues which undermine cooperation as the essential principle to effectively promote and protect all universally recognized human rights for all.

Mr. President,

In conclusion, the Movement calls upon all Member States of the Human Rights Council to promote international cooperation and constructive dialogue in the Human Rights Council and prevent the occurrence of practices of double standards, selectivity and political manipulation which discredited the Commission on Human Rights.

Thank You