Iran’s Judiciary Chief Proposes Debates with Europe on Human Rights


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani proposed that the Islamic Republic and Europe can begin discussions about human rights, provided that Iran would also have the chance to question the shortcomings of Europeans regarding human rights.

“I suggest that the (Judiciary’s) Human Rights Council, the Foreign Ministry and the Supreme National Security Council pave the way for talks with European countries (on human rights),” Ayatollah Amoli Larijani said in an address to a cultural ceremony in Tehran on Wednesday.

He underlined that the US must be excluded from any such discussions because “Americans are only after deception.”

The top official also stressed that the primary condition for holding such talks should be equal chances for each side to question the other.

“We also have things to say about human rights in Europe. We have questions and views about Europe’s approach toward humans, Islamophobia in Europe, and France’s ban on hijab,” he stressed.

It is surprising that prohibition of hijab is described as being in conformity with human rights, but any comment about the Holocaust would entail imprisonment, the top official pointed out.

Iran will approve of discussing human rights with Europeans if they agree that the debate would be reciprocal and they would be challenged as well, Ayatollah Amoli Larijani went on to say.