Hawzah News Agency- In an official statement, the Headquarters characterized the UAE's recent move—executed amid political tensions and driven by hostile motives—as far more than a simple administrative procedure. It described the act as a clear manifestation of the systematic violation of the UAE's international commitments, specifically under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
The full text of the statement reads as follows:
The recent action by the UAE government in revoking the activity licenses of Iranian schools and orchestrating the expulsion of students from the educational sphere is a sinister phenomenon, fundamentally contradicting the established foundations of international law. This behavior, carried out under the shadow of political tensions with hostile intentions, is no mere administrative measure. It is a textbook example of the systematic violation of the UAE's international obligations under human rights treaties, namely the CRC and the ICESCR. It is deeply regrettable that a government which brands itself as a land of tolerance tramples upon this very principle against the most defenseless group of human beings—innocent children—replacing academic security with intellectual deprivation and psychological distress.
From the perspective of international law, what has transpired in the UAE stands in direct contradiction to the fundamental principle of the prohibition of collective punishment. This Headquarters firmly believes that revoking the licenses of Iranian schools is nothing but political pressure exerted by holding the academic futures of thousands of innocent children hostage. This is in complete contravention of Article 28, Paragraph 1 of the CRC, which binds member states to take all appropriate measures to ensure equal access to education, including compulsory and free primary education for all.
With this action, the UAE government has systematically violated the principle of non-discrimination enshrined in Article 2 of the CRC. The governing spirit of this article mandates the absolute prohibition of any distinction, exclusion, or restriction based on nationality in children's enjoyment of their rights. Closing school doors to the children of a specific nation is not a technical flaw; it is organized discrimination based on citizenship and nationality, standing in total opposition to the existential philosophy of the UN Charter and inherent human dignity. This discriminatory behavior clearly conflicts with Article 2, Paragraph 2 of the CRC, which obliges states to protect the child against all forms of discrimination—a duty in which the UAE has acted in precisely the opposite manner, transforming itself into the agent of discrimination.
A more precise legal analysis clearly reveals a breach of the duty to uphold the "best interests of the child" (Article 3 of the CRC). Under the Convention and the General Comments of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, any administrative and legal measure affecting children must undergo a Child Impact Assessment prior to implementation. The fundamental question to the UAE government is: In the unilateral process of revoking the licenses, what assessment was conducted regarding the psychological, social, and educational harm inflicted upon the 2,300 students? The answer is unequivocal: none. This complete disregard for the best interests of the child constitutes a structural and procedural violation.
Furthermore, under the ICESCR, the right to education is not confined to mere "accessibility," but "acceptability" and "adaptability" of education also form part of the states' immediate obligations. Abruptly expelling students from a familiar educational system aligned with their cultural identity violates all educational standards.
Notably, the UAE government, in its periodic reports under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council, has consistently emphasized its commitment to religious and cultural tolerance and the protection of migrant families' rights, presenting these as its national achievements. The move to shutter the schools of a specific migrant community represents not just a treaty violation but the objective manifestation of the chasm between the slogans and the actions of a state that has used tolerance as a tool for international branding, yet tramples its very basics when faced with innocent children.
Within the principled policy framework of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Human Rights Headquarters condemns the UAE's conduct, emphasizing the absolute rejection of domination and subjugation. From the viewpoint of the Headquarters, this action follows the disgraceful project of normalizing relations with the Quds-occupying regime and aligns with hegemonic US policies in the region. Based on the principles of dignity, wisdom, and expediency, the Islamic Republic of Iran's Human Rights Headquarters, while strongly condemning this hostile behavior, reserves its indisputable right to pursue the trampled rights of its nationals through all international legal and diplomatic channels, and calls upon the responsible UN bodies to address this crime against children's rights with impartiality and urgency.
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