Iran thanks Pakistan for opposing UN rights vote in Geneva

Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan publicly thanked Islamabad for its opposition to a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution that deepens international scrutiny of the crackdown on protests in Tehran.

“I express my sincere gratitude to the esteemed government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, under the leadership of the honorable Prime Minister, HE Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, HE Muhammad Ishaq Dar,” Iranian Ambassador Raza Amiri Moghadam said in a message on X.

He said Pakistan had given “historic and unwavering support” to Iran at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva by calling for a vote and casting a negative vote against what he described as an “unwarranted resolution targeting Iran”.

“I express my special gratitude to the able and professional representatives of the Permanent Mission of Pakistan in Geneva for their tireless efforts and dedication in the pursuit of justice,” he said.

Moghadam said Pakistan’s stance marked “the third consecutive defeat of unprovoked and politically motivated actions against Iran in the past year,” referring to what he called “the twelve-day unprovoked aggression, the recent foreign-backed riots aimed at destabilizing the country and the misuse of international organizations to pursue capricious and hostile agendas by some members.”

“Such continued support clearly reflects Pakistan’s enduring commitment to justice, multilateralism, respect for human rights and national sovereignty, and we will remember it with deep gratitude,” he added.

The day before, the 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council voted to expand its investigation into Iran following the violent crackdown on protests that U.N. officials say left thousands dead, including children.

Read here: The CDH denounces the “unprecedented” repression in Iran

With 25 votes in favor, seven against and the rest abstaining, the council decided to extend and expand the mandate of independent investigators gathering evidence to ensure that those responsible for human rights violations in Iran are held accountable.

The council expressed concern over the “unprecedented scale of the violent repression of peaceful protests by security forces.”

“A climate of fear and systematic impunity cannot be tolerated,” Icelandic Ambassador Einar Gunnarsson said when introducing the resolution. “Victims and survivors deserve truth, justice and accountability. »

The adopted text extends the mandate of the UN special rapporteur on Iran for another year and extends for two years the work of a separate fact-finding mission created in November 2022 after protests erupted following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian Kurdish woman.

The resolution authorizes investigators to investigate “allegations of recent and ongoing serious human rights violations and abuses, as well as crimes committed in connection with the protests.”

The vote followed an urgent council session requested by Britain, Germany, Iceland, Moldova and North Macedonia, a move sharply criticized by Iran.

In his opening address to the council, UN rights chief Volker Turk said Iranian security forces had used “live ammunition” against protesters, adding that “thousands” had been killed, including children.

“I call on the Iranian authorities to reconsider their decision, step down and end their brutal repression, including summary trials and disproportionate sentences,” Turk said.