Moscow is calling on Western nations to reconsider their "lethal policy" of sanctions against the Iranian people and to stop using human rights as a mere smokescreen for regime-change agendas, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said during a press briefing.
The diplomat drew attention to recent comments by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk regarding the situation in Iran. Zakharova noted that while the UN official’s remarks contained "several ambiguous assessments and controversial claims," he did acknowledge that the recent protests in Iran were "triggered by a sharp rise in prices amid a severe economic crisis, which has been exacerbated by the impact of foreign sanctions."
"We take note of the High Commissioner’s fair and timely call for the international community to 'take immediate steps to eliminate the impact of sanctions on the rights of the Iranian people,'" Zakharova emphasized. She expressed hope that the states responsible for these measures would heed the UN's warning and shift away from policies that harm the population. She added that it is time for these countries to deal with "actual facts" rather than utilizing human rights issues as a "cover for the policy of regime change."
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS