Statement By His Excellency Dr. Seyed Abbas Araghchi The Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Before The High-Level Segment of the 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council  Geneva, 24 February 2025  بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم     Mr. President, Distinguished colleagues, I am pleased to represent the Islamic Republic of Iran as I address the Human Rights Council. The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that human rights must be viewed through the lens of respect for sovereignty and cultural diversity. While human rights may be considered a universal concept, their interpretation and implementation must necessarily align with the religious, historical, cultural, and social contexts of any given country. The imposition of incongruous standards and foreign political agendas, oftentimes done under the guise of promoting human rights, undermines the principles of the United Nations and constitutes a threat of eroding trust among member states. For decades, the Iranian people have faced grave challenges, including unjust economic sanctions and terrorism, which have had many a devastating impact on their social and economic rights. While adhering to Islamic principles and human dignity against the headwind of these challenges, Iran has made notable achievements, including improvements in education, healthcare, women's rights, and industrial and economic development. One of the greatest obstacles to the realization of human rights at the global level is recourse to unilateral coercive measures. Such measures have destructive ramifications on ordinary people while oppressively affecting the more vulnerable groups Iran has long fallen victim to such misguided policies. The recourse to such measures by certain states restricts access to basic necessities such as medicine and a healthy environment. We call for the immediate removal of all unilateral sanctions, which not only violate the fundamental human rights of the Iranian people but also inflict suffering on millions of innocent individuals. Distinguished colleagues, One cannot speak of human rights but omit to mention the suffering of the Palestinian people and forego condemning the crimes of the Israeli regime. Iran unequivocally condemns the genocide perpetrated by the occupying regime in Gaza. The Palestinian people continue to suffer from genocide, systemic violence, occupation, dehumanization, and violations of the right to life, in clear violation of international law, including the Geneva Conventions. We call upon the international community to hold the occupying regime accountable for these crimes and to demand an immediate cessation of all acts of aggression against the Palestinian people. It is incumbent upon the Human Rights Council and the United Nations to stick up for the principles of justice and listen to the voices of the oppressed. Iran remains steadfast in its support for the Palestinian people whose right to self-determination has been denied for decades. The repressive plots for the forced displacement of the inhabitants of Gaza are a sequel to the occupation policy that cropped up eight decades ago. In this context, we strongly condemn any statements or actions on the side of these plots and register our opposition thereto. Further to that, terrorism and extremism remain a globally serious threat to human rights. Iran is at the forefront of the fight against terrorism, particularly in West Asia. While a major victim of terrorism itself, Iran has actively supported efforts to counter the spread of terrorist organizations such as ISIS and al-Qaeda. We are convinced that international cooperation is essential in addressing the root causes of terrorism, including foreign interference. Mr. President, The Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently emphasized respect for human rights and the strengthening of social justice within various frameworks. Given its rich culture of and long history in the field of human rights, Iran has always strived to promote the individual and social rights of its citizens. In this regard, we have taken extensive measures to improve the level of human rights, including the rights of women, children, and minorities in our country. At the same time, we believe that human rights may not be used as a leverage of political and economic pressure or interference in the internal affairs of countries. Experience has shown that certain states use the present institution as a tool to advance their own agendas, while human rights must be pursued in an ambient of mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of countries. We call upon all states to strive to support and promoting human rights based on the principles of fairness and impartiality and to avoid selective and politicized approaches to the issue, which shall lead to the reinforcement of discrimination and inequality in this sphere. In conclusion, I would like to underscore that the Islamic Republic of Iran believes in continuing its constructive cooperation with international human rights mechanisms in promoting human rights at the global level and hopes that all countries will take joint steps in this direction. Thank you. ---