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TEHRAN, March 7 - A prominent Finnish lawyer and author said the recent failure of a United Nations Security Council resolution against Iran and Yemen, which was drafted by Britain and strongly backed by the US, was a major setback for Washington.
TEHRAN,Young Journalists Club (YJC) - “It was definitely another defeat for the US, but I do not think they expected to win it in the first place as they are only using the UNSC as a propaganda platform, an extended stage of Hollywood if you will,” Jon Hellevig said in an interview with the Tasnim News Agency.
“They bring forth the most outrageous fabricated charges in there just for the benefit of their domestic tethered media to write about it, and to force their European vassals to show their respect for them by supporting their capers,” he added.
Jon Krister Hellevig is a Finnish political economist, lawyer, and businessman who has worked in Russia since the early 1990s. Hellevig was a candidate in the European parliament election in 2014. He is the managing partner of the Moscow-based law company Hellevig, Klein & Usov. Hellevig has written several books, including Avenir Guide to Russian Taxes (2002, 2003, 2006 English and Russian editions); Avenir Guide to Labor Laws (2002, 2003, 2006 English and Russian editions). Expressions and Interpretations, a book on the philosophy of law and the development of Russian legal practices; Hellevig takes actively part in public discussion of current affairs and social structure contributing with articles and commentary in the media. He regularly lectures at international seminars on various topics.
Following is the full text of the interview:
Tasnim: As you know, Russia blocked a British-drafted resolution against Iran and Yemen at the United Nations Security Council last week. The resolution, which was strongly backed by the US, sought a “condemnation” of Iran for allegations of violating an arms embargo on war-torn Yemen. Iran has repeatedly dismissed as “baseless” claims about arms supply to Yemen. In a Wednesday meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Iran’s permanent representative to the world body, Gholam Ali Khoshroo, warned the UNSC that its support for any unilateral measure can aggravate the situation in Yemen. Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia recently said that he opposed the draft, saying it should be about renewing the work of experts monitoring sanctions against Yemen, not condemning Iran. What is your take on Russia’s move to veto the UK-drafted resolution? Do not you think that it was another defeat for the US-led Western alliance in the face of Iran?
Hellevig: First of all, I have to say that I am disappointed that Iran does not supply arms to Yemen, I would fully support Iran doing so. But, I also understand that Iran is here between a rock and a hard place and cannot do it.
It was definitely another defeat for the US, but I do not think they expected to win it in the first place as they are only using the UNSC as a propaganda platform, an extended stage of Hollywood if you will. They bring forth the most outrageous fabricated charges in there just for the benefit of their domestic tethered media to write about it, and to force their European vassals to show their respect for them by supporting their capers.
Tasnim: The UN children’s agency has recently said the ongoing Saudi aggression against Yemen has killed or injured more than 5,000 children and left another 400,000 severely malnourished and fighting for their lives. UNICEF said nearly 2 million Yemeni children were out of school, a quarter of them since the start of the war. In the meantime, the Saudi-led war on Yemen has led to a cholera epidemic in Yemen, which is one of the worst ever recorded in the world. The epidemic is likely to surge again around March, according to media reports. What do you think about the Saudi crimes in the Arabian Peninsula country? Why does the UNSC not impose sanctions against Riyadh?
Hellevig: Here we must draw a parallel to the words of (former US State Secretary) Madeline Albright, who said that killing 500 thousand Iraqi kids was worth it in their regime change operation against Saddam Hussein. So, really the Americans and their vassals are officially ready for whatever crimes, worse than Hitler’s in order to further their agenda of global contest. The Riyadh regime is nothing else than a Washington puppet, one of the vassals, so whatever Riyadh does, they do by direct orders or by connivance of the Washington regime. I would therefore not even analyze separately any actions by Riyadh, a puppet is a puppet and a puppet. And that’s why the UNSC does not impose sanctions against Riyadh. Cause you don’t sanction your own puppets or Bull Terriers.
Tasnim: Some Western countries that claim to be champions of human rights are pursuing double-standard policies on Saudi Arabia's atrocities. How do you see the role of Washington and London in the Riyadh regime’s heinous crimes against Yemen?
Hellevig: Actually, I already covered this question within the reply to the previous. What I wanted to say (was) that all of Riyadh’s crimes are Washington’s crimes, a priori. Moreover, I think that the concept of ‘double-standards’ is outdated. There are no double standards, there are only lies, deliberate lies to cover up for atrocities. If we use the concept double standards, then we already acquiesce to the US agenda, allowing them to have some standards. No, there are no standards, not uniform nor double, there are only lies, propaganda lies, aimed to cover up for the most hideous atrocities.
Source: Tasnim
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