Iran’s Representative at the Committee Mrs. Peymaneh Hasteih’i denounced the resolution, drafted by Canada, as "distorted" and a flagrant interference in Iran's internal affairs and is distorted", according to the Iranian official news agency IRNA.

"The content of the resolution is not constructive, and the current approach will discourage Iran in elevating its cooperation with the world community in the area of human rights", Mrs Hasteh’i added, saying that the resolution, introduced by Ottawa on Thursday, was in retaliation for the death of Ms. Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian- Canadian photographer in police custody in Tehran in July.

The photojournalist arrested on 21 June while taking pictures near the notorious Evin prison and was hit on the head with a heavy object by interrogators trying to force her confessing to espionage for a foreign nation.

She died few days latter in a military hospital of brain hemorrhage.

"As soon as the news broke out, the Iranian Government took every possible and necessary measure with a view to bringing all culprits to justice. President Khatami ordered the establishment of an inquiry committee with four ministers in attendance and the Majles started independent inquiries into the issue", she counter-charged.

But so far, none of the real culprits but one junior employee of the Intelligence Ministry have been identified.

The murder badly deteriorated Iran-Canada’s otherwise friendly relations, as Ottawa insisted that Ms. Kazemi’s body be transferred to Montreal, where she lived with her 26 years-old son Stephen Hashemi, for autopsy.

Hastaeh’i, speaking at the UN Third Committee’s session, said the call upon the Iranian government to appoint an impartial prosecutor is just an example of Canada’s interference in Iran’s internal affairs and termed Canada’s draft resolution as "counterproductive", warning that it would discourage the ongoing approach based on the promotion of cooperation between Iran and the international community on human rights.

"The hidden as well as selfish agenda behind this draft contradicts the purpose of those countries that genuinely seek to promote human rights at the international level", she added, quoted by IRNA.

Kazemi was not mentioned specifically in the resolution.

The resolution also called on Iran to "eliminate all forms of discrimination" against minorities, including Christians, Jews, Bahais and Sunni Muslims.

Hasteh’i answered the claim by saying: "Not only do they enjoy free gathering and worshipping in their places of choice, be they churches, synagogues or temples, arrangements are also made in the Iranian Constitution to ensure their representation in the national Parliament".

"As a result, Assyrians, Zoroastrians and Jews, each, elect one and the Armenians elect two members of parliament. Other than the allocated quotas, the law does not rule out the participation of the minorities in the general elections as electors or runners for local and national office", she observed.