Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva has censured Western governments for using human rights as a political tool against the Islamic Republic following the UN Human Rights Council’s approval of an anti-Tehran draft resolution.

Ali Bahraini made the remarks in a Tuesday speech ahead of voting on a draft resolution, titled "Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran," proposed by the United Kingdom, Iceland, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova and Northern Ireland at the 52nd regular session of the Human Rights Council.

The anti-Iran draft resolution was approved after 23 member states voted in favor, eight countries were against and 16 others abstained.

“The draft of the resolution that the Council is about to put to vote, submitted by Iceland and Britain as its main sponsors, is completely unjustifiable and rejected by Iran,” Bahraini said.

Stressing that the supporters of the resolution hide themselves behind the title of human rights, the Iranian diplomat said certain states exploit the organization to advance their own political objectives.

“From Iran's point of view, this resolution is considered a malicious attempt to target and deliberately tarnish Iran's human rights image through fabricating distorted narratives, negative stereotypes and false accusations,” Bahraini underlined.

The Iranian diplomat said the Islamic Republic’s achievements in observing human rights over the past four decades demonstrate the country’s determination to respect, protect, and realize human rights.

“The instrumental use of human rights is unacceptable and endangers human rights cause,” Bahraini said, adding, “This approach neither helps preserve and promote human rights, nor is compatible with facts on the ground as well as the history and background of the Iranian culture and civilization.”

At the 52nd regular session of the Human Rights Council on Tuesday, Cuba, China, and South Africa delivered speeches in favor of Iran and warned of the instrumental and political use of human rights.

The resolution, which extended the mandate of the UN special rapporteur on the rights situation in Iran for another year, accused the Islamic Republic of “crackdown” on violent riots that erupted across the country last September.

By Press TV