‘Self-Proclaimed’ Human Rights Advocates Slammed for Supporting Riots in Iran

With the onset of unrest and violent acts against the public security by groups affiliated with terrorist currents, certain countries and human rights organizations supported the riots in Iran in violation of the United Nations Charter and international law, the High Council for Human Rights said in a statement on Saturday.

The Iranian Judiciary’s human rights body further decried moves to provoke violence and vandalism in Iran and highlighted the necessity for differentiating between peaceful protests and violent measures.

“The Recent incidents were another test for self-proclaimed defenders of human rights,” the statement said.

“The names of the US, Britain, the Zionist regime of Israel, the Saudi regime, Daesh (ISIS or ISIL), the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO), and, unfortunately, some international human rights mechanisms are on the list of supporters of the riots and acts of sabotage (in Iran),” it added.

The statement came as the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Friday at the request of the United States to discuss the protests.

Washington, however, found itself at odds with its European partners, who used the hard-won debate to reject American efforts to make the protests an excuse for ditching the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Last week, peaceful protests over rising prices and economic problems broke out in some Iranian cities, but the unauthorized gatherings turned violent after a number of opportunists, some of them armed, vandalized public property and launched attacks on police stations and government buildings.

Iranian security officials say they have hard evidence that the protests were directed from abroad.

Officials say many rioters arrested in the unrest have been trained by the MKO or had links with the Takfiri groups.

Following the unrest, people of Iran held several demonstrations across the country to condemn the violent riots and acts of vandalism, and voice support for the Islamic Republic’s Establishment.

Iranian officials maintain that people have the right to stage protests to express their opinions, as long as rallies comply with the legal conditions.