WANA (Feb 23) – The Deputy for Legal and International Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaking today at the high-level segment of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, stated that Iran and the Iranian people will stand firmly against any conspiracy—whether military or political—against their homeland. He said: “Iran’s enemies may be able to start a war, but they will not determine how it ends.”

 

Kazem Gharibabadi, Deputy for Legal and International Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended and delivered a speech today at the high-level meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

 

He stated: “The Islamic Republic of Iran is a responsible and accountable country in the field of human rights. The Islamic Revolution of Iran was a human rights revolution aimed at liberation from dictatorship and the establishment of democracy. After 47 years, you witnessed that tens of millions of Iranians took to the streets to broadly support their revolution and independence.”

 

He said: “Unfortunately, some deceivers constantly speak about the human rights of the Iranian people. Today, I will make it clear to you that those who claim to defend human rights are themselves the main violators of the rights of the Iranian people.”

 

Gharibabadi added: “The United States, the United Kingdom, and France, along with their allies, fully supported Saddam’s regime during the eight-year imposed war against Iran. As a result, more than 830,000 people were killed or injured, including 117,000 who were martyred or wounded due to the use of inhumane chemical weapons provided to Saddam, especially by Germany.”

 

The Deputy Foreign Minister stated: “More than 25,000 innocent Iranian people, including women and children, were assassinated and martyred by terrorist groups that are today present in safe havens in Western countries. The human rights of millions of Iranians—especially their right to life—have been widely violated due to the unjust and illegal unilateral sanctions imposed by these very claimants of human rights, who have committed crimes against humanity.”

 

Gharibabadi continued: “During the twelve-day war of June 2025 by the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran, more than 1,060 people were martyred and around 6,000 were injured, while these same so-called human rights advocates supported the aggressors and even prevented the Security Council and the Human Rights Council from condemning the aggression.”

 

He asked: “The countries that speak of the human rights of the Iranian people—did they not feel the pain of these people’s human rights at that time? Where were the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany then?”

 

The Deputy Foreign Minister further questioned: “What have the claimants of human rights done in response to the brutal crimes of the Zionist regime against the defenseless people of Gaza—which have resulted in more than 244,000 killed and injured—other than supporting this criminal regime and preventing any action against it in international and human rights forums?”

 

He emphasized: “Unfortunately, the Human Rights Council has become a tool in the hands of false claimants of human rights. What does not matter to these countries is human rights.”

 

He stated: “When the civilizations of today’s human rights claimants had not yet taken shape, Iran was the cradle of civilization and human rights. You have certainly heard that the first charter of human rights—the Charter of Cyrus—was drafted in Iran more than 25 centuries ago.”

 

This senior Iranian diplomat added: “It is regrettable that human rights claimants want to teach democracy to the people of Iran, who freed themselves from the Pahlavi dictatorship 47 years ago. Unfortunately, some anti-human-rights currents naively think they can bring this democracy through the pampered child of the deposed and fugitive dictator. Is this not a betrayal of and an insult to democracy?”

 

He stated: “The people of Iran are those who, under all circumstances, have supported the independence and territorial integrity of their country—not those who treacherously call for the bombing of their own country and are despised among Iran and Iranians. We are proud of all Iranians abroad whose hearts beat for their country, even if they have criticisms, and we ask them to strive for the honor, greatness, and pride of Iran.”

 

The Deputy Foreign Minister declared: “From this podium, I announce that Iran and the Iranian people will stand firmly against any conspiracy—whether military or political—against their homeland. Although Iranians do not seek aggression against other countries, they know well how to decisively defend their land and dignity. Iran’s enemies may be able to start a war, but they will not determine its end.”

 

Gharibabadi stated: “The consequences of war will not be limited to two sides; they will engulf the region. You have tested sanctions and war against Iran and achieved no results. Now it is time to experience diplomacy and respect.”

 

He added: “Unfortunately, Iran’s enemies, who suffered a severe and painful defeat in the twelve-day war, sought this time to create the grounds for another military operation through unrest and riots. For this reason, they turned peaceful protests by the people in response to economic conditions into chaos.”

 

Gharibabadi stated: “Rioters and terrorists committed ISIS-like crimes such as burning people alive, beheading, fabricating killings, and extensive use of firearms, which led to the martyrdom of 2,427 innocent people and guardians of law and security, out of a total of 3,117 fatalities in these incidents.”

 

The Deputy Foreign Minister said: “Unfortunately, some anti-human currents, driven by political motives, publish fabricated statistics of casualties, while none of them have so far been able to substantively refute the country’s official published figures.”

 

Gharibabadi concluded: “We seek justice for all blood unjustly shed. The main instigators of these events—especially the United States and the Zionist regime, who once again were defeated by the Iranian people—and their instrument, the child of the deposed and fugitive dictator, must be held accountable for these crimes against humanity.”

Buses that were burned during Iran’s protests, in Tehran, Iran, January 21, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)