Iran criticizes US State Department's annual report on human trafficking
On Wednesday, July 28, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi criticized the US State Department's annual report on human trafficking, saying that the US lacks the necessary and primary authority and legitimacy to present such reports on other countries.
The 17th annual report of the US State Department on human trafficking was unveiled yesterday in a ceremony in Washington attended by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
Part of the report emphasizes that Iran has not made a “tangible effort” to address the problem of human trafficking. The report cites examples in this regard and points to instances of human trafficking in Iran, including the sexual exploitation of girls in the cities of Tehran, Tabriz, and Astara.
The 17th annual report of the US State Department on human trafficking also states: Iranian girls were subjected to human trafficking for the purpose of sex trade in brothels in Iraqi Kurdistan, especially in the city of Sulaymaniyah.
A "one-sided and biased" report
This is while the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman emphasized on Wednesday: "Such reports are one-sided, biased, and based on double and political standards, prepared and compiled solely to tarnish the image of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
Bahram Ghasemi continued by calling the "unilateral, interventionist, and aggressive policies" of the United States and some of its allies "the source of human trafficking."
He added: "The Islamic Republic of Iran, under the banner of Islamic principles and teachings, enjoys one of the most progressive constitutional and substantive laws in the field of protecting human dignity and honor."
The annual report of the US State Department examines the situation of human trafficking in various countries around the world. The main basis of this report is the "Human Trafficking Victims Protection Act", which was passed in the US 17 years ago.
Based on this law, countries are divided into 3 categories. "Tier One" are countries that fully comply with the requirements of this law. "Tier Two" are countries that do not comply with all the requirements but their governments are trying to improve the situation. And "Tier Three" includes countries that are inconsistent with the minimum standards of this law to combat human trafficking and are not taking any action to improve the situation. Iran has been assessed as one of these countries.
Source: Radio Farda
