Iran: UN human rights rapporteur took US bribes

Ahmed Shaheed, who produced several reports on Tehran’s violations, behaves like a TV celebrity, alleges top Iranian official

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An Iranian official has accused the UN special rapporteur for human rights in Iran of taking bribes from the United States, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported Friday.

The report quoted Mohammad Javad Larijani, secretary general of Iran’s high council for human rights, as saying Ahmed Shaheed received money from the US He said that was why he could only parrot US allegations against Iran.

“The money the special rapporteur has received from the US State Department has led to a situation that he cannot write about anything except their anti-Iran desires,” Larijani was quoted as saying, without giving evidence.

Iran has barred Shaheed from Iran since 2011, saying there is no need for a special rapporteur because Iran has always answered questions from the UN Human Rights Council.

Larijani said Iran has provided UN with considerable evidence of violations by Shaheed, the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur on Iran. He did not provide details.

He said Shaheed behaves like a TV celebrity, appearing on western television stations to make comments against Iran.

“The special rapporteur has no right to take a stance against the country he is assigned to,” Larijani said, charging that in TV interviews, Shaheed “repeats the words of the US and Israel” against Iran.

Shaheed has produced four reports on alleged violations of human rights in Iran. Iran denies the charges.