TEHRAN -- The Iranian foreign minister has dismissed as unacceptable any European interference in the country’s domestic affairs, saying Iran has one of the strongest democracies in the West Asia region.
Hussein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a phone conversation with his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares on Thursday, during which the two top diplomats exchanged views on issues of mutual interest.
Amir-Abdollahian censured Western governments for the revocation of the Islamic Republic’s membership in the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) earlier in the month, and said the move revealed attempts aimed at destroying the opportunity for dialogue.
“In our region, Iran has one of the strongest democracies, and it is not acceptable for us that Europe tends to see a lopsided view of events and continues to interfere” in Iran’s internal affairs, Amir-Abdollahian added.
The top Iranian diplomat also congratulated the Spanish government and people on the New Year, expressing hope that 2023 will be a year filled with peace and stability for all people around the world as well as prospects for further development of Iran’s relations with Spain.
The Spanish foreign minister, for his part, expressed his views on issues of mutual interest and congratulated Iranian Christians on the New Year.
Albares stressed that Madrid will make every effort to continue negotiations and develop ties with Iran.
On December 14, Iran was ousted from the UN Commission on the Status of Women following a draft proposal by the United States over what it claimed to be “policies contrary to the rights of women and girls” in the country.
Twenty-nine members voted in favor of Iran’s expulsion from the United Nations women’s body, eight countries voted against and 16 abstained.
Iran censured the move, saying Washington and its allies are “in no position” to advocate women’s rights while supporting decades-long Israeli crimes against Palestinian women and children.
Separately on Thursday, Amir-Abdollahian and his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi spoke on the phone as they exchanged views on the most important issues of mutual interest.
Discussing the latest regional and international developments, the two top diplomats underlined the need for constant consultations on issues of common concern and matters that fall within the interests of the two countries and regional states.