Iran Says Executing Child Offenders Not a Rights Violation

Majid Tafreshi senior Iranian official and member of the state-run High Council for Human Rights, speaks to AFP at his office in the capital Tehran, on June 29, 2021 - AFP
Majid Tafreshi senior Iranian official and member of the state-run High Council for Human Rights, speaks to AFP at his office in the capital Tehran, on June 29, 2021 - AFP
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Iran Says Executing Child Offenders Not a Rights Violation

Majid Tafreshi senior Iranian official and member of the state-run High Council for Human Rights, speaks to AFP at his office in the capital Tehran, on June 29, 2021 - AFP
Majid Tafreshi senior Iranian official and member of the state-run High Council for Human Rights, speaks to AFP at his office in the capital Tehran, on June 29, 2021 - AFP

Iran's use of the death penalty for crimes committed as minors does not mean it violates human rights, a senior Iranian official has insisted to AFP in response to UN criticism.

The Islamic republic executes convicts for crimes they committed while under-age "three to four times" a year, argued Majid Tafreshi of the state-run High Council for Human Rights.

Such uses of capital punishment are "not a symbol of violations of human rights," he said in an interview with AFP, charging that criticism of the practice was "not fair".

"When we are talking about under-18s, we are not talking about six or five years old. We are talking about mainly our 17 years old big boys (where) the court recognized their maturity."

The United Nations and human rights groups frequently criticize Iran for executing child offenders, which violates the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child that Tehran has ratified.

UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet last week pointed to Iran's "widespread use of the death penalty" and said that "over 80 child offenders are on death row, with at least four at risk of imminent execution".

Tafreshi, the council's deputy head of international affairs, rejected international criticism.

He said the council's broad goal "is minimizing the number of executions... as much as possible", calling it an effort for which "nobody applauds Iran".

Iran last year executed at least four people found guilty of murders committed when they were minors, according to the UN.



Iran Says Continuing Uranium Enrichment on Its Soil 'Red Line'

People walk at the Grand Bazaar in Tehran on June 3, 2025. (AFP)
People walk at the Grand Bazaar in Tehran on June 3, 2025. (AFP)
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Iran Says Continuing Uranium Enrichment on Its Soil 'Red Line'

People walk at the Grand Bazaar in Tehran on June 3, 2025. (AFP)
People walk at the Grand Bazaar in Tehran on June 3, 2025. (AFP)

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that Iran's right to enrich uranium on its soil was a "red line" after the United States submitted its proposal for a new nuclear deal.

"Continuing enrichment on Iranian soil is our red line," Araghchi said while on a visit to Lebanon, adding that his country will respond to the proposal in the coming days based on Iran's "principled positions and the interests of the Iranian people".

US President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated that Iran will not be allowed any enrichment of uranium under a potential deal with Washington.

Araghchi said the US proposal, submitted through mediator Oman, has "many ambiguities and questions".

On Saturday, Iran said it received "elements" of a US proposal for a nuclear deal following five rounds of talks that started in April and were mediated by Oman.

Uranium enrichment has remained a key point of contention between Washington and Tehran in the talks to seal a nuclear deal, with Iran defending what it says is its right to pursue a peaceful nuclear energy program and the US calling it a "red line".

"We will not ask anyone for permission to continue enriching uranium in Iran. However, we are ready to take steps... to ensure that this enrichment will not lead to the production of nuclear weapons," Araghchi said.

Araghchi was visiting Beirut following a stop in Cairo on Monday, where he met with Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Grossi on Monday called for more transparency from Iran following a leaked report that showed Tehran had increased production of highly enriched uranium.

The IAEA report showed that Iran has ramped up production of uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity -- close to the roughly 90 percent level needed for atomic weapons.

Western countries, including the United States, have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, while Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.