Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, considered Bachelet’s opinions based on false accusations and wrong information as politicized.
Despite the efforts of the government of the Islamic Republic to alleviate water shortages in the territory, the commissioner only mentioned the alleged repression of popular protests.
Michelle Bachelet’s statement reads more like a political statement with hostile literature than those of an international human rights official, Khatibzadeh criticized.
Unprofessional and biased comments on the management of the country’s water resources, he added, are beyond the scope of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the institution under her command lacks the authority and dignity to comment on the issue.
Juzestan is short of water as a result of an intense drought this year and the consequences of coercive measures imposed on Iran that hindered technology transfer and investments in that province, Khatibzadeh denounced.
The question is, he added, ‘why did the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has not condemned the illegal US sanctions against the Islamic Republic until now?’ In any case, he stressed, there is a violation of many fundamental human rights.
Khatibzadeh explained that the Iranian government respects the right of its citizens to peaceful protests as recognized by the highest authorities, including President Hassan Rouhani and the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ali Khamenei.
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