Islamic Republic’s corruption and mismanagement has driven Iran’s economy to the ground. The regime had hopes that desperate Biden administration may cave in to its demands in removing the IRGC from Foreign Terrorist Organization list but those hopes have died. Experts in Iran have expressed their concern over constant increase in prices, shortage of some essential items including medicine and some have warned the regime officials that the mass may not tolerate it anymore and will explode soon!
That is why authorities have rolled out the red carpet for Alena Douhan from Belarus, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights! Ms. Douhan will visit Iran from May 7 to May 18 to engage “with the Government and non-governmental counterparts, national and international, in a spirit of dialogue, cooperation and impartiality, with the view to gather first-hand information on the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the full realization of all human rights in the country.” She was appointed to the post in March 2020 and has already visited Venezuela and Syria among other countries. She published her “observations” about Venezuela, claiming the US sanctions have caused the society’s situation to deteriorate!
Ms. Douhan, in her predeparture statement claims, “My visit will aim at covering all walks of life and sectors affected by such measures, including secondary sanctions and sanctions over-compliance. I will pay particular attention to the adverse effects on the most vulnerable segments of society.” Islamic Republic officials have prepared plans for every second of her visit, making it impossible for her to “cover all walks of life!”
Islamic Republic’s appalling human rights records is no secret to the world and regime’s horrifying behavior towards political prisoners have been known for years. US Department of State published an extensive report about regime’s atrocities in 2021 including women’s rights violations, killing and torturing political prisoners, forced disappearance of dissidents, child marriage, minorities and religious discriminations, child soldiers, and many more. Other reports from independent organizations such as Iran Human Rights on 2021 executions in the country shine light on brutality of the regime, and how they are related to JCPOA and “elections.”
On the other hand, the regime has denied Javaid Rehman, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, entry to Iran to investigate human rights situation in the country. Foreign Ministry Spokesman even criticized the renewal of Mr. Rehman’s mission on April 1, calling it “devoid of legal validity!”
Alena Douhan is supposed to investigate the effects of sanctions on human rights enjoyment in Iran! However, the theocratic regime does not recognize “human rights” and has its own definition: “From a social perspective, human rights are rules and frameworks of lifestyle. Our lifestyle as the Islamic Republic of Iran is based on religious principles and indigenous norms and behaviors that are based on our historical traditions,” Ali Bagheri-Kani, the then Judiciary’s Secretary of High Council on Human Rights and current negotiator in Vienna Talks, said. A month later, in October 2020, he called Mr. Rehman’s report on egregious human rights situation in Iran “a political game” and “devoid of legal validity!”
Gharibabadi, the current Secretary of High Council on Human Rights and former regime’s representative in nuclear talks, has called human rights “a political tool and commodity for the West!” He also emphasized on expansion of “Islamic human rights laws” and signed an agreement with 4 seminary schools in Iran including Al-Mustafa International University!
For the Islamic Republic, it is not about human rights but about sanction relief and money. The authoritarian regime has never been in such a pickle before. In addition to international isolation, people express their discontent at policies (or lack thereof) of Khamenei’s gang any chance they get. This visit is about survival for the regime.