TEHRAN – Leader of the Islamic Revolution says despite Western powers’ attempts to shun responsibility for human rights violations, Iran keeps its “demanding” stance to pose questions regarding their behavior in North Africa and the Middle East.

Speaking to the judicial officials including top judge Sadeq Amoli Larijani on Wednesday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, “In regard to the issue of human rights, the Islamic Republic has a demanding and questioning stance.”

Pointing to U.S.-led human rights tragedies around the world as well as crimes committed by French and British forces in Africa and India in past decades, the Leader said, “In the present years also, the West’s record of support for Daesh in Syria, Myanmar, and other regions reveals the frequent lies of the shamefaced pretenders of support for human rights,” Ayatollah Khamenei’s official website reported.

The Leader expressed satisfaction with the Judiciary’s work in restoring the Iranian nation’s rights in the face of bullying powers.

In another part of his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei advised the judicial officials to work closely with the government towards resolving the country’s economic problems.

The Leader criticized certain people who seek to create the impression among the public that there is “systemic corruption” within state institutions.

Corruption does exist in a number of state and commercial enterprises, “but the existence of systemic corruption is not true,” the Leader said. “This wrong impression should not be allowed to affect the public opinion.”

Ayatollah Khamenei further stated that foreign enemies and certain oblivious elements at home have made the Judiciary the target of the most severe propaganda and media pressure.

In order to effectively confront this massive propaganda campaign, the Leader suggested, the judicial system needs to develop a strong and skillful media arm.

SP/PA