These remarks came on February 4 in an interview with Ray Aftab. Larijani also called Ahmad Shaheed a “puppet” and a “toy” in the hands of the West.

Larijani stated: “Reports of Ahmad Shaheed about the situation of human rights in Iran lacks validity and is worthless for pragmatists in the world and has the minimum methodology. Human Rights that the US and their proxies talk about, is for them and for us is worth nothing. We are the star of progress in Civil Law and Diplomacy in the Middle East. Democracy that is implemented in Iran is the region’s largest democracy.”

Shaheed is well known as a critic of the Regime. Iranian officials continue to try and discredit his accounts of human rights abuses.

Three months ago, Fars News Agency wrote about this about Shaheed: “Ahmad Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in Iran has submitted a report against Iran to the UN General Assembly. According to this report, he has once again accused us of violating the rights of minorities, freedom of expression and other charges. In all his reports about the human rights violations, Ahmad Shaheed, has depicted a very dark picture of the Iranian government. Last year, the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, voted in favor of the proposed resolution by Canada and 42 other countries criticizing human rights situation in Iran and the General Assembly adopted the resolution condemning the human rights situation in Iran.”