GENEVA,
July 25 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Iran has extended an open
invitation for missions by U.N. human rights experts, Iran's
ambassador to the United Nations said Thursday, July 25.
The
move was welcomed by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary
Robinson, who said in a statement that she hoped the Iranian
government's move would pave the way for long-term cooperation with
the U.N.'s top human rights forum, the Human Rights Commission, Agence
France-Presse (AFP) said.
"Visits
by the Commission's Special Rapporteurs and working groups could be
very effective in improving the protection and promotion of human
rights in a given country," she said.
Robinson's
remarks came after a meeting with the Iranian permanent delegate to
the U.N. in Geneva, Mohammad Reza Alborzi, on Wednesday, July 24,
which dealt with a future technical cooperation program with her
office.
"The
open invitation is already extended, now it is up to the rapporteurs
to enter into a dialogue with the authorities in Iran," Alborzi
told AFP Thursday.
"The
new fact is that it is an open invitation to them all without
prejudice," he added.
Asked
if Iran had given a green light to visits, U.N. human rights spokesman
Jose Luis Diaz said: "Not formally, but they have told the High
Commissioner that they are going to extend the invitation".
Iran
previously excluded the former U.N. Special Rapporteur on the human
rights situation in Iran from the country for six years.
The
rapporteur, Maurice Copithorne, compiled critical annual reports on
the situation in Iran based on testimony from human rights groups, but
maintained contact with Iranian diplomats and reformers.
His
mandate was ended by the 52-member U.N. Human Rights Commission during
its annual session in Geneva in April, halting 19 years of scrutiny of
Iran's human rights record.
The
move sparked an angry reaction from the United States and dismay
amongst human rights groups, which felt that Iran was being let off
the hook.
But
Alborzi said the removal of the annual resolution and rapporteur
targeting Iran had paved the way for the opening to "thematic
rapporteurs", as part of their mandate to examine specific areas
of abuse.
"Obviously
if they really mean it, it would be great news if rapporteurs can go
to Iran, we would welcome it," Loubna Freih, a spokeswoman for
the U.S.-based group Human Rights Watch said
