TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Legal and International Affairs, Qasem Galibabadi, made a harsh responsibilities on Western countries on Tuesday, claiming that Tehran would not submit to external pressure or abandon its principles under the weight of sanctions.
In opening an exhibition celebrating the achievements of Iranian women in Tehran, Galibabadi denounced the Western double standards of human rights and highlighted the country’s unwavering durability in the face of a ruthless economic war.
“Those who advocate for human rights but support Israeli crimes in Gaza can no longer lecture others about violations,” Galibabadi said, referring to the murder of more than 50,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
He criticized the United States and its allies for supplying military aid to the Israeli regime, ignoring the humanitarian catastrophe, calling it evidence of their “moral bankruptcy.”
Western countries have been heavily criticized for their double human rights standards, particularly for their unwavering support for the Israeli regime’s atrocities in Gaza.
Despite overwhelming global condemnation of the catastrophic humanitarian crisis, UN experts explicitly label it as including “genocide” – the US and its allies maintain military aid and robust diplomatic cover for Israel.
In particular, the United States is accused of accomplice in war crimes through ongoing arms shipments, while European countries face similar backlash as they prioritize geopolitical interests over justice and accountability.
“The rest of Iran would have collapsed.”
He further argued that the official condemnation claimed that as a tool for collective punishment in his speech, they put the “rights of life and happiness” of millions of Iranians at risk.
“If they really care about human rights, they’ll lift these sanctions,” he said.
Galibabadi emphasized Iran’s independence, saying, “Other countries facing 10% of our pressure will have collapsed. We draw power from seven,000 years of civilization and the pride of our people.”
The diplomats highlighted the European hosting of infamous groups like Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MKO), a terrorist organization that until recently was designated by the EU, claiming that the Western government had promoted protection of terrorist groups involved in the massacre of 23,000 Iranian civilians.
“Human rights are politicized. In line with West Escape scrutiny, Iran faces unfounded accusations,” he adds, in contrast to Iran’s “religious and state” human rights framework and pre-revolutionary subordinate to the monarchy.
Galibabadi concluded by urging foreign envoys to report the reality of Iran to the government. “Sansions can be a strain on everyday life, but they will never destroy our sovereignty,” he said.