Iran Summons Sweden’s Ambassador after EU’s Interference

Mattias Lentz was summoned by the Foreign Ministry on Thursday to receive Iran’s strong protest to anti-Tehran measures and remarks by some EU officials, as Sweden holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first six months of 2023.

The director general for the Foreign Ministry's Western Europe Department condemned the interventionist statements and measures about Iran's domestic affairs, stating that “Europe should seriously honor its responsibilities and respect the human rights values ​​of other countries than to resort to accusations, blame game and double standards.”

“Westerners abuse human rights as a diplomatic tool to advance their excessive goals. This is while human rights have originality, and their primary aim is to preserve human dignity and moral values,” the senior Iranian diplomat told the Swedish ambassador at the meeting, Press TV reported.

He also denounced the attempts to justify insults to religious, sacred and national values ​​of other nations under the pretext of freedom, stating that such bids amount to betrayal of the blessed concept of freedom, and injustice against humankind and human rights.

“In human societies, the goal of freedom is human excellence. Cultural vulgarity, desecration of sanctities, and insults to values are not in line with evolution and excellence,” the Iranian diplomat said. He pointed to the role of some European countries in promoting violence and hatred in other countries, saying, “Interference in the internal affairs of countries is against all international principles and regulations, and the Islamic Republic of Iran does not accept it at all.”

The Swedish ambassador was also called by the Iranian official to convey Tehran's profound chagrin over the unacceptable interference of some EU member states in Iran's internal affairs.

Lentz, for his part, promised to convey Iran’s protest to EU officials in Brussels.