Speaking at a session of the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee on Wednesday, Darzi said the allegations raised against Iran were based on “unverified and selectively interpreted information.”
The resolution, introduced annually by Canada, was adopted on Wednesday in New York. As in previous years, however, the number of votes in favor fell short of those opposed or abstaining.
The full text of the speech is as follows:
Mr. Chair,
Once again, another unjustified and unnecessary draft resolution has been tabled by Canada for action before this Committee.
The delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its firm objection to the draft resolution, which is politically motivated, selective, and wholly counterproductive. We reject both its substance and its underlying intent. The draft, negotiated nowhere, agreed by no one, and imposed annually by the same particular country, serves only the pursuit of its own political objectives rather than the noble cause of human rights.
Iran reiterates its longstanding position that country-specific resolutions are, by their very nature, confrontational. They undermine genuine dialogue, erode trust, and violate the principles of impartiality and non-selectivity that must guide the work of the United Nations in the field of human rights. We underscore that mechanisms grounded in cooperation—not pressure—are the ones capable of yielding constructive and enduring results.
Rather than fostering constructive engagement, the draft resolution perpetuates a confrontational approach that has consistently proven ineffective. When human rights are used as a tool of pressure, their universality becomes the first casualty.
The allegations contained in the draft resolution are based on unverified and selectively interpreted information. The draft fails to present an objective or balanced assessment. It disregards the country’s human rights achievements, the ongoing national processes, and the efforts undertaken by the Iranian authorities to advance socio-economic development and to strengthen legal protections in accordance with our constitutional and international obligations.
The draft resolution also fails to uphold balance and impartiality by refraining from condemning the flagrant violations of international law committed by the Israeli regime and the United States during their 12-day military aggression, from 13 to 25 June 2025, against the Islamic Republic of Iran. It disregards the long-term and far-reaching human rights consequences of this unlawful military attack, including the martyrdom of at least 1,100 individuals, most of them women and children; the killing of Iranian scientists and elites; and the injury of approximately 6,000 individuals, some of whom have been permanently disabled. It is astonishing that the drafters of the resolution profess concern for “Iranian human rights,” but they show no regards whatsoever for “Iranian human life”.
Similarly, the drafters have deliberately omitted any reference in the draft text to the profoundly harmful and negative impacts of the excessive imposition and implementation of unilateral coercive measures on the human rights of the Iranian people. The main sponsor and co-sponsors of this resolution—who, for more than four decades, have directly, deliberately, and knowingly violated the human rights of the Iranian nation through the imposition and strict enforcement of unlawful unilateral coercive measures—are in no position to present a resolution on the human rights situation in Iran. Their inability even to acknowledge this critical issue in the text is telling.
These omissions demonstrate that the drafters, in a wholly political and deliberate manner, attribute no value or credibility to dialogue, discussion, engagement, or cooperation.
Moreover, it is regrettable that the main sponsor of this resolution continues to ignore its historical, institutional and even recurring human-rights violations at home, including longstanding issues affecting indigenous communities, racism and racial discrimination, and the unequal treatment of migrants. Such double standards weaken the credibility of this initiative and call into question the sincerity of its stated objectives and its true intent.
We firmly believe that, were human rights not being misused as a tool for political pressure by a certain group of countries, the main sponsor of this draft—namely Canada—would itself have been the subject of resolutions in this esteemed body: for the atrocities committed against its Indigenous peoples; for its neglect of the living and economic conditions of its own citizens, and for its military support to the Israeli regime in the commission of genocide and war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Mr. Chairs,
The Islamic Republic of Iran remains committed to constructive dialogue and engagement with UN human-rights mechanisms that operate in a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory manner, and that uphold the fundamental principles of justice, impartiality, and independence. We have actively participated in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), extended invitations to thematic mandate holders, and continued to refine national legislation in line with our constitutional values and international obligations. However, we cannot support measures that rely on pressure, politicization, and distortion, nor can we endorse an approach driven by political agendas rather than good-faith engagement.
The Islamic Republic of Iran once again considers this draft resolution unnecessary, unbalanced, and wholly detached from the realities on the ground. It falls short of the criteria required for a United Nations document that seeks the support and votes of Member States.
In this vein, and in the interest of the genuine protection of human rights—and out of respect for the values and principles we collectively uphold—we urge Member States to vote against this draft resolution and to support efforts that foster dialogue, mutual respect, and genuine international cooperation on human-rights issues. We urge esteemed delegations to stand on the right side of human rights principles and reject this divisive and counterproductive draft resolution by voting against it.
Resolutions that fail to reflect the realities on the ground do nothing to promote or protect human rights. They are crafted not to advance human rights, but to exert political pressure. We assure you that the adoption of this draft resolution will in no way contribute to the objectives of its sponsors.
Thank you.
IRNA