Iran Calls for Int’l Committee to Investigate Human Rights Violations in France

Workers on strike hold CGT labor union flags as they walk on a platform during a demonstration inside the railway station on the eve of the ninth day of national strike and protests, and after the pension reform was adopted as the French Parliament rejected two motions of no-confidence against the government, in Nice, France, March 22, 2023. Éric Gaillard, Reuters
Workers on strike hold CGT labor union flags as they walk on a platform during a demonstration inside the railway station on the eve of the ninth day of national strike and protests, and after the pension reform was adopted as the French Parliament rejected two motions of no-confidence against the government, in Nice, France, March 22, 2023. Éric Gaillard, Reuters
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Iran Calls for Int’l Committee to Investigate Human Rights Violations in France

Workers on strike hold CGT labor union flags as they walk on a platform during a demonstration inside the railway station on the eve of the ninth day of national strike and protests, and after the pension reform was adopted as the French Parliament rejected two motions of no-confidence against the government, in Nice, France, March 22, 2023. Éric Gaillard, Reuters
Workers on strike hold CGT labor union flags as they walk on a platform during a demonstration inside the railway station on the eve of the ninth day of national strike and protests, and after the pension reform was adopted as the French Parliament rejected two motions of no-confidence against the government, in Nice, France, March 22, 2023. Éric Gaillard, Reuters

The spokesman of the Iranian government Ali Bahadori Jahromi called on Monday for the formation of an international research committee for dealing with France’s human rights violations of hundreds of thousands of protesters.

“(French President) Emmanuel Macron's government is directly responsible for widespread violations of human rights and harsh dealing with protesters who simply seek their rights; France must be to account for its actions towards its citizens,” Jahromi said in a post on his Twitter account according to the German news agency.

“The formation of an international fact-finding committee is necessary for dealing with violating the rights of hundreds of thousands of French protesters,” the Iranian spokesman added.

In a related development, the spokesman of the Iranian foreign ministry, Nasser Kanaani, criticized female officials of Europe, Canada and Australia for keeping mum on the French police brutality against protesters, particularly women, during the pension reform rallies.

“Where are Europe, Canada and Australia’s feminist ministers,” Kanaani wrote on his Twitter account on Saturday.

France witnessed last week a wave of nationwide strikes following a government decision to push on with a deeply unpopular pension reform despite escalating anger across the country.

Speaking last Wednesday, Macron stuck to his guns saying the new law was necessary and would come into force later this year.



Grossi Wants to Meet with Iran’s Pezeshkian ‘at Earliest Convenience’

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
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Grossi Wants to Meet with Iran’s Pezeshkian ‘at Earliest Convenience’

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi announced he intends to visit Tehran through a letter he addressed to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Iranian Mehr Agency reported that Grossi sent a congratulatory message to the Iranian president-elect, which stated: “I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on your election win as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“Cooperation between the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been at the focal attention of the international circles for many years. I am confident that, together, we will be able to make decisive progress on this crucial matter.”

“To that effect, I wish to express my readiness to travel to Iran to meet with you at the earliest convenience,” Iran’s Mehr news agency quoted Grossi as saying.

The meeting – should it take place - will be the first for Pezeshkian, who had pledged during his election campaign to be open to the West to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue.

Last week, American and Israeli officials told the Axios news site that Washington sent a secret warning to Tehran last month regarding its fears of Iranian research and development activities that might be used to produce nuclear weapons.

In May, Grossi expressed his dissatisfaction with the course of the talks he held over two days in Iran in an effort to resolve outstanding matters.

Since the death of the former Iranian president, Ibrahim Raisi, the IAEA chief refrained from raising the Iranian nuclear file, while European sources said that Tehran had asked to “freeze discussions” until the internal situation was arranged and a new president was elected.