U.S. will continue to struggle with the violation of human rights in Iran - State Department

Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 17 / Trend corr. T. Jafarov /

A spokesman of the U.S. State Department, Alan Eyre said the United States is interested in the full protection of human rights in Iran.

"The United States and partners are making every effort to ensure that the rights of Iranian citizens are protected. United States has openly expressed its position on human rights violations in Iran and have initiated this matter," - said the Air Thursday in an interview with Trend.

The organization "Reporters without Borders" last week distributed an annual report on press freedom in countries around the world. In this report, Iran has taken 175 place among the 179. Iranian human rights activists reported that the U.S. did not express to the situation of human rights in this country the same interest as the nuclear program. They also reported that during the events that followed the last presidential election, the U.S. did not support the opposition.

Human rights violations in Iran are often caught in the agenda after the presidential elections that took place in 2009. In the intervening period the international organizations have repeatedly reports that speak of human rights violations and violence to the civilian population of Iran. This issue has become a cause for serious concern to Human Rights Council UN and other international organizations.

A spokesman for State Department said that President Obama, Secretary Clinton and other senior U.S. officials in their speeches, openly expressed their stance on human rights violations in Iran.

"Our management team has worked hard for the appointment of a special rapporteur to the UN on human rights in Iran. In addition, with respect to persons, repeatedly and flagrantly violated the rights of the Iranian people, the sanctions were imposed, they were denied entry into the United States, and their bank accounts were frozen. All these measures - an example of our country in this matter, "- said Eyre.

June 17 UN Council on Human Rights appointed a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives Ahmed Shaheed Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran. Iranian officials have said they will not accept special envoy.

Eyre also said that the United States through cooperation with European countries will push for the use of similar sanctions against those involved in human rights violations in Iran.

"We will continue to criticize the Iranian regime, trying to stifle the voices of Iranians who speak of human rights violations. In cooperation with the countries of Europe, we will seek sanctions against those who violate human rights in this country" - said Eyre.

U.S. President Barack Obama after the presidential elections in Iran in 2009 signed a decree on the application of sanctions eight Iranian officials suspected of human rights violations. In addition, the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States with Canada and Great Britain would suspend issuing visas of persons implicated in human rights violations in Iran. According to her, these actions suggest that the United States, Canada and Britain are close to the Iranian people.