“At a time when Iran and the European Union have taken initial steps to resolve issues facing the two sides, European parliament’s stance on human rights and its claims about unreal issues, especially elections in Iran, is rejected and unacceptable,” Iran Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said on Wednesday.
Afkham went on to say that the Islamic Republic is committed to respecting human rights of its citizens in line with the country’s cultural values and religious teachings.
On Monday, the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs said in a resolution that the EU must be more active in addressing the human rights issues with Iran and supporting civil society in the country.
The resolution also called for reliable monitoring of the fulfillment of Iran's commitments under the ‘Joint Action Plan’, which was inked between Tehran and the six world powers – Russia, China, France, Britain, the US and Germany – in the Swiss city of Geneva in November 2013.
Under the interim accord, which took effect on January 20, the six world powers undertook to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for the Islamic Republic’s agreement to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period.
The resolution, backed in the committee by 31 votes to one, is scheduled to be put to a vote by the whole European Parliament on April 3.
