Iran thanks Pakistan for support at UN rights council

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Iran's top diplomat on Saturday praised Pakistan's strong support at the UN Human Rights Council while opposing a resolution against Tehran over the current state of human rights in the country, said the Pakistan Foreign Ministry.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is on an official visit to Dubai, received a call from his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi, and the two leaders exchanged views on current regional and international developments, said the ministry in a statement.

"Foreign Minister Araghchi thanked DPM (Deputy Prime Minister)/FM (Foreign Minister) for his strong support and Pakistan’s position at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, including its call for a vote as well as voting against the resolution concerning Iran," it said.

On Friday, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran for two years and the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran for one year, following a special session.

However, China, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Cuba, and Vietnam opposed the move and voted against it.

The resolution called for an urgent investigation by the Fact-Finding Mission into the repression of nationwide protests that began on Dec. 28.

The Fact-Finding Mission was requested to conduct urgent investigations into alleged serious human rights violations and abuses committed in connection with the protests, including potential future legal proceedings, in line with its mandate.