Iran Criticizes West's Double-standard On Human Rights

Tehran, May 30, IRNA – Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific and Commonwealth of Independent States Abbas Araqchi said on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic of Iran is strongly critical of the western double-standard over human rights. He made the remarks in a meeting with Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa. In the meeting, the Iranian envoy delivered an invitation letter from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to his Sri Lankan counterpart to attend NAM Summit of leaders in Tehran. According to the Information and Press Bureau of the ministry of foreign affairs, Araqchi highlighted relations in various fields mainly in the economic sector and said Iran have very invaluable experiences in dam construction, industries, electricity and rendering technical and engineering services and is ready to develop cooperation with other nations in line with international conventions. The Sri Lankan president, for his part, referred to deeply rooted relations between the two countries and called for expansion of economic cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Citing the western double-standards over human rights issue, he described them as politically motivated and lauded Iran’s firm stand to this effect./end