Iranian lawmakers and academics criticized an Iranian envoy who did not attend a United Nations General Assembly voting on a draft resolution which called on Myanmar to end its military actions against Rohingya Muslims.
Qasim Mirzai, an Iranian MP, said that he has officially requested explanation about the absence of the ambassador from the voting session. He also likened Myanmar government’s practices against the Rohingya to the practices of Daesh against Muslims. According to Sadiq Zibakalam, Professor at Tehran University, the absence was regrettable and illogical, Middle East Monitor reports. He wrote an open letter to Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif and asked him why the ambassador did not attend the voting when Iran says that it is a defender of Muslims.
Bahram Qasimi, spokesman for the foreign minister, said that the ambassador did not attend the session because of technical reasons. He emphasized that Iran supported the draft resolution through an official document submitted to the United Nations, but the Iranian Mission to New York said that the absence was in protest against the structure on which the Third Committee resolutions are passed.
A resolution calling on Myanmar to end its military actions against Rohingya Muslims got the support from 122 countries. Ten countries rejected the resolution including Russia, China and Syria.
The the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation submitted the resolution that urged Myanmar to end its military campaign against the Rohingya Muslims and requested the UN Secretary-General to appoint a special envoy to Myanmar. Violence against Rohingya Muslims has displaced more than 600,000 forcing them to seek refuge in Bangladesh.