Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations in Geneva denounced a resolution passed by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) about protests in the country, calling it a “blatantly political” and “completely devoid of genuine concern for human rights.”
The resolution, proposed by Iceland, Germany, North Macedonia, Moldova, and the United Kingdom, was adopted on Friday at the conclusion of a special session of the Council. It condemns the alleged violent suppression of protests in Iran. The resolution passed with 25 votes in favor, 14 abstentions, and 7 votes against from China, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Pakistan, and Vietnam.
The resolution follows economic protests in Iran that escalated into violence in early January, resulting in casualties. Iranian officials have explained that what began as civilian demonstrations were exacerbated by the involvement of US- and Israel-backed terrorist groups, prompting security forces to respond.
The adopted resolution underlines the UNHRC’s continued human rights monitoring of Iran and proposes extending the mandate of a fact-finding committee and a special rapporteur to continue gathering information and issuing subsequent reports.
In a statement responding to the resolution, Iran’s mission asserted that the resolution’s proponents have never genuinely been concerned about the rights of the Iranian people, citing the imposition of “inhumane sanctions” that severely violate fundamental rights and the overlooking of Israel’s “aggressive war” in June which resulted in the deaths and injuries of over 5,000 Iranians.
The Iranian mission stressed that Iran possesses “strong, independent, and efficient national accountability mechanisms” and rejects any pretext for politicized external interference. According to the president’s order, a comprehensive investigation into the root causes of the recent developments is underway, it added.
The statement concluded by affirming that all cases involving detainees will be handled with justice, fairness, and compassion, and that the rights of Iranian citizens are guaranteed solely through independent legal processes and national sovereignty.
