Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Palestinian Ministry of Health: Two were martyred in Israeli shelling that targeted a besieged house in the town of Qabatiya in Jenin
At least 68 dead in migrant shipwreck off Yemen: IOM
Trump: We want to feed the people in Gaza, we do not want them to starve.
US President Donald Trump: We will impose sanctions on Russia if it does not end the war on Ukraine.
Israeli media: Polls show that 52% oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while only 29% support him.
Israeli media: 32% of Americans still support "Israel's" war on Hamas, while 60% oppose it.
Israeli media: Core US support for "Israel" hits its lowest, while support for Palestine reaches its highest levels.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent reports martyrs, injuries in Israeli bombardment of home in Heker al-Jame area in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza.
Al-Quds Governorate: Today, the spatial division of Al-Aqsa Mosque began in a public and dangerous manner, and we warn of a religious war in the region
The Ministry of Health in Gaza: This brings the total number of victims of famine and malnutrition to 175, including 93 children

Turning human rights into a tool to intervene in Iran's internal affairs

  • Ruqiya Anwar Ruqiya Anwar
  • Source: Al Mayadeen English
  • 8 Dec 2022 23:42
  • 7 Shares
5 Min Read

The hostility toward Iran results from its opposition to pervasive Western colonialism and its decision to develop its economy and defense independent of Western dependence.

  • x
  • Turning Human Rights into a Tool to Intervene in Iran's Internal Affairs

Iran's Foreign Ministry declared that the country would reject the newly appointed impartial United Nations probe investigating the alleged country's crackdown on anti-government riots. The Human Rights Council of the United Nations will probe alleged “human rights abuses in Iran notably against protesters." The Foreign Ministry maintained that Tehran "completely opposes" the decision and has established a national committee of inquiry comprised of lawyers and "independent representatives". 

The Iranian government has condemned the decision and called the move a "violation of Iran's national sovereignty." Moreover, establishing a new body to investigate the events of the previous two months in Iran is pointless and a clear affront to the country's sovereignty. Tehran blamed Germany and other countries that backed the resolution. This resolution was pushed through by political interest groups that profit from disseminating misinformation by anti-Iranian media. The UN move came at the closing of an emergency session to discuss Iran's situation, which was sought by Germany and Iceland and supported by 50 nations.

Notably, Iran has criticized the West for its stance. According to Khadijeh Karimi, Iran's deputy vice president for women and family affairs, the United States and Europe "lack the moral credibility to preach on human rights." She further stressed, "It is appalling and humiliating that certain parties in the West have reduced the common cause of human rights to a tool for political objectives".

Iran has accused Western countries of inciting violence in the Islamic Republic by assisting rioters in producing guns and Molotov cocktails. Recently, Pakistan, Venezuela, and others supported Iran, while China's Ambassador Chen Xu warned against "turning human rights into a vehicle to intrude into other nations' domestic affairs." Hence, the hasty and politicized use of human rights mechanisms will not promote human rights and its relevant institutions. The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman, has indicated that a vote by the UN has raised the risk of "violence and repression" in Iran.

Most importantly, the West has "double standards" regarding justice and human rights. It results from the bias toward favoring one side over the other. This attitude will be detrimental to the interests of Germany and certain Western countries. Iran's Foreign Minister also criticized "Israel" and Western intelligence agencies for seeking to spark a civil war and divide Iran.

Recently, President Ebrahim Raisi accused the West of double standards on women's rights at the UN General Assembly. He also highlighted the killing of indigenous women in Canada and the Israeli brutality toward Palestinians. Raisi criticized the Western world for "violations of human rights and the rights of nations," especially the rights of Canada's indigenous peoples. However, while denouncing Canada for its treatment of its indigenous population, the international community has remained silent on the "death of tens of helpless women" in a Western country.

Related News

Why the US is unqualified to promote peace between Thailand and Cambodia

Georges Ibrahim Abdallah: Lebanon’s lion roars the truth

According to Iran's leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei, the enemy aims to undermine people's faith, which is crucial to upholding the nation and the Islamic system, by sowing doubt among them. The United States has announced plans to impose further sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran. Forcing Iran to surrender is the issue and not the Hijab or women's rights. At the same time, western media has been agitated by these images, seemingly rousing calls for international intervention in Iran. Moreover, diplomatic efforts to resurrect a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and foreign powers have been overshadowed by the unrest after they came close to fruition in recent months before halting once more. 

Is it perhaps more about Iran's refusal to submit to Western hegemony than human rights? The Islamic Revolution's victory in 1979 signaled the end of Western meddling in Iran. Since then, the United States has repeatedly sanctioned various aspects of the Iranian government and economy, including but not limited to financial institutions, individuals, central banks, and shipping businesses.

Furthermore, over the past 43 years, the West has offered Iran various incentives, both directly and indirectly, to give up on the Palestinian cause, halt enmity toward the Israeli regime, and end support for oppressed, weak, and vulnerable people globally. Significantly, Iran is the only nation in West Asia that had refused to recognize US hegemony. Moreover, Iran was the only "rebellious" nation in Asia and the Middle East to put up a fight against the world's purported superpower.

Thus, the hostility toward Iran results from its opposition to pervasive Western colonialism and its decision to develop its economy and defense independent of Western dependence. The narrative of "human rights" has a distinct meaning when selectively employed by the United States: it becomes synonymous with regime change and color revolution when a country refuses to capitulate to American demands and policies.

References:

https://www.universal-rights.org/blog/report-of-the-35th-special-session-of-the-human-rights-council-on-the-deteriorating-human-rights-situation-in-the-islamic-republic-of-iran/

https://www.ohchr.org/en/news/2022/11/human-rights-council-establishes-fact-finding-mission-investigate-alleged-human-rights

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Al Mayadeen’s editorial stance.
  • United States
  • United Nations
  • Germany
  • Human Rights Council
  • Human Rights
  • Iran
  • Iran riots
Ruqiya Anwar

Ruqiya Anwar

Researcher.

Most Read

All
Given ample indications Epstein was collating sexual blackmail material on powerful figures for intelligence agencies, comments made by Mirage's cofounder to Ynet take on a chilling character. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Zionist spies innovate AI sexual blackmail tech

  • Analysis
  • 27 Jul 2025
The right wing love affair with Zionism has ended

The right wing love affair with Zionism has ended

  • Opinion
  • 23 Jul 2025
Beyond the United States are critical leftist perspectives which underline the reawakening of the Arab left. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

The Reawakening of the Arab Left: Amman to Tunis, new voices challenging empire and capital

  • Opinion
  • 21 Jul 2025
What is the current state of Resistance forces, after the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, the collapse of independent Syria and the ongoing attacks on Lebanon and Iran? (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

Regional Resistance after the Gaza Genocide

  • Analysis
  • 25 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
War on Iran

More from this writer

All
Russian Economy Survives One Year of Sanctions

Russian Economy Survives One Year of Sanctions

Palestinian Journalists Face Severe Repercussions for Exposing Israeli Oppression

Palestinian Journalists Face Severe Repercussions for Exposing Israeli Oppression

'Israel' threatens Palestinians' unity through family separation

'Israel' threatens Palestinians' unity through family separation

Cementing Apartheid for Palestinians in 2023

Cementing Apartheid for Palestinians in 2023

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS