March 31 - April 6, 2014

1. Negative reactions to UN HRC’s Resolution on Iran

State-owned media

Islamic Republic News Agency
“UN human rights resolution on Iran pursues political ends”, Tehran, in Persian, 31 Mar 2014

• Marzieh Afkham, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, has said that the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) resolution on Iran is politically motivated and illegitimate.
• IRNA quoted Afkham as saying: “The resolution pursues political ends and lacks legitimacy. The move aims to cause a dispute between countries, impose special standards on others, and disrupt the international human rights mechanism.”

Private-owned media FARS news agency

“Spokeswoman slams UN’s anti-Iran human rights resolution”, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, Tehran, in English, 31 Mar 2014

• Marzieh Afkham, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, has denounced the adoption of a UN Human Rights Council (HRC) resolution on Iran as “unconstructive and politicallymotivated.” 
• Fars quoted Afkham as saying in an official statement: “The UN resolution is unconstructive, politically motivated and a double-standard move that undermines international human rights mechanisms.”

2. Negative reactions to European Parliament’s resolution on Iran

State-owned media

Islamic Republic News Agency
“EP Resolution on Violation of Human Rights in Iran Baseless – Afkham”, Tehran, in English, 2 Apr 2014

• Marzieh Afkham, the Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, has expressed regret over the adoption of an anti-Iran human rights resolution by the Europe Parliament (EP) and said that the resolution was politically motivated.
• IRNA quoted Afkham as saying: “The EP resolution on violation of human rights in Iran is baseless and counterproductive; European parliament should do its best to understand Iranian culture and religious beliefs and not to use human rights as a political lever.” 
• She added that Iran would continue to push for the promotion of human rights based on Islamic injunctions.