TEHRAN -- President Ebrahim Raisi says unlike Iran, the Western countries have been violating human rights by using women as a tool and leverage against independent nations.
“The Islamic Republic believes that the West uses women as a tool,” he told participants at the First International Khorsheed Media Festival here on Monday.
“The Islamic Republic views women neither an instrument, nor a homemaker. In a sense, there is a third view which observes that women can be society builders alongside men and play an essential role in the family and society,” he added.
President Raisi touched on the West’s use of women rights as a tool to put pressure on independent countries, saying Western countries “are not really in favor of women’s rights or human rights”.
“Our stand today is that of a claimant and the West of a suspect. The Westerners must answer why they violate the rights of human beings and women,” he said.
The president also censured the West for ignoring the rights of the Palestinian nation for 70 years and occupying Afghanistan for 20 years with bloodshed, destruction, and over 35,000 maimed children as its only outcome.
He further said that Western countries, especially the United States, are promoting modern ignorance among nations by using their media empire to distort facts, falsify the truth, and suppress real news.
Convergence and effective contacts among independent and free media is the key to success against the West’s media empire, he noted.
Separately, President Raisi said Iran strongly condemns “hateful and spiteful” actions that take place in some parts of the world against Islam.
In a message to Muslim nations on the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad, the president said sacrilegious acts against Islam hurt the feelings of Muslim people across the globe.
He described Islam as the religion of freedom and equality and the Holy Qur’an as the book of mercy and wisdom.
“Insulting the Holy Qur’an, a precious miracle of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is an insult to humanity, freedom, values and spirituality,” the Iranian president said.
Several cities across the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark have witnessed the instances of the desecration of the Muslim holy book since the beginning of the year.
Raisi also expressed hope that unity and integrity would be reinforced among all Muslim nations and Islam would be promoted across the world with the help of the Holy Qur’an and determination of the leaders of the Muslim countries and nations.