Tehran [Iran], August 13 (ANI): Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday hit back at France, 25 other countries and the European Union after their condemnation of the alleged executions of protesters in Iran, accusing them of hypocrisy and saying their support for Israel amid the Gaza conflict and its military action against Iran had undermined their claims to the moral high ground.

In a post on X, Araghchi said that France should refrain from lecturing others on human rights and international law, accusing them of 'blatant' hypocrisy.

'Countries like France should stop lecturing the world about 'human rights' and international law. The hypocrisy is blatant and embarrassing. Your backing of Israel's genocide in Gaza--and aggression against Iran--has destroyed whatever moral high ground you imagined you had,' the post read.

His remarks came after France, Canada, Albania, Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the High Representative of the European Union issued a joint statement condemning what they described as the ongoing executions of protesters and the use of the death penalty by Iran.

The statement, issued on Wednesday, said that the use of capital punishment to silence dissidents, intimidate communities and punish people for exercising their fundamental rights could not be justified.

The countries called on Iranian authorities to end the use of the death penalty and release people they said had been arbitrarily detained. They also urged Tehran to respond to calls from Iranians for political change and take steps to ensure respect for human rights.

'The use of capital punishment to silence dissidents, intimidate communities, and punish individuals for exercising their fundamental rights can in no way be justified. The Iranian people must be free to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly without fear. We call on the Iranian regime to immediately end the use of the death penalty and to release all individuals who have been arbitrarily detained,' the statement read.

The statement came against the backdrop of widespread anti-government protests in Iran, which began in December last year amid soaring inflation, economic hardship and public anger over governance.

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Nol Barrot also criticised the Iranian government's response to the protests.

In a post on X, Barrot called for an immediate end to the 'unbearable and inhumane' repression, accountability for those responsible, the release of political prisoners and respect for the Iranian people's right to determine their own future and exercise their fundamental rights.

'Seven months after the mass crimes committed against the Iranian people who rose up to demand justice and dignity, the regime continues to shed blood by multiplying executions. This unbearable and inhumane repression must cease. Its perpetrators must be held accountable. Political prisoners must be released. The Iranian people must be able to freely decide their future, and their fundamental rights must be respected,' the post read.

According to the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran, at least 198 people have been executed so far in Iran in 2026, of whom 17 were executed in August so far. (ANI)