TEHRAN – A senior Iranian human rights official has reacted to sanctions imposed by the European Union against Tehran over an alleged violation of human rights in Iran.

The official, Kazem Gharibabadi, who is Vice-President of the Judiciary for International Affairs and Secretary General of Iran's High Council for Human Rights, castigated the EU for imposing sanctions on Iran and highlighted the double standards employed by the EU in dealing with Iran. 

“The same European Union which has violated the rights of millions of Iranian civilians due to implementation of U.S.-orchestrated unilateral and cruel sanctions, and sheltered and provided unwavering support to the terrorists who have murdered 17,000 innocent Iranians has now once again put up a pathetic charade by claiming to be defending human rights while simultaneously imposing sanctions on those safeguarding the security and safety of Iranian people against western-backed riots,” Gharibabadi said on Twitter. 

The EU announced on Monday the imposition of sanctions against a number of Iranian individuals and entities allegedly involved in violating human rights, a claim Iran vehemently denied.  

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani strongly condemned a decision by the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union to impose unilateral sanctions against some Iranian officials and institutions, describing it a violation of international law and a clear example of interference in the internal affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The spokesperson added, “It is deeply regrettable that certain political motivations as well as relying on baseless, distorted information and fabricated claims by the enemies of the Iranian nation and the well-known media affiliated with them are the basis of such a wrong and unconstructive decision.”

Kanaani evaluated the sanctions decision of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union as an indication of the continuation of a biased approach and exploitation of human rights as a tool to achieve political goals, and called the decision “fundamentally rejected, ineffective and invalid.”