عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

Iran Rejects UN Investigation into Repression of Protests

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani (AFP)
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani (AFP)
TT
20
TT

Iran Rejects UN Investigation into Repression of Protests

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani (AFP)
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani (AFP)

Iran rejected cooperation with the newly-appointed independent UN committee to investigate the country's repression and crackdown on anti-government protests.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said that Iran would not cooperate with the political committee set up by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)

He stressed that the hasty use of human rights mechanisms and adopting "political and instrumental" approaches toward such issues were "rejected" and failed to contribute to the human rights concept.

Kanaani indicated that Tehran "strongly protested against the interventionist and baseless statements of the German authorities."

The 47 member states of the UNHRC decided during an urgent meeting held at the initiative of Germany and Iceland to appoint a team of investigators to shed light on human rights violations during the protests crackdown in Iran.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk demanded Iran end its "excessive" use of force to quell the protests that erupted after the death of a young Iranian-Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, while in the custody of the morality police.

In response to the UN move, Iran summoned the German ambassador to protest "interventionist" remarks by German officials and Berlin's key role in holding a UNHRC special session on Iran.

The official IRNA news agency reported that the German ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry after Berlin's initiative to hold the special meeting.

Kanaani said that Iran has evidence of the involvement of Western countries in the protests sweeping the nation.

He added: "We have specific information proving that the US, Western countries, and some US allies have had a role in the protests."

Iran did not announce an official death toll of the protesters.

However, Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani said that about 50 policemen were killed in the protests since September, in the first official death toll, without disclosing whether this number includes fatalities among the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or not.

Mahabad MP Jalal Mahmoudzadeh said earlier that 105 people were killed during the crackdown launched by the authorities to quell the protests.

Most Viewed

 
World

Larijani Urges Trump to Define Economic Interests with Iran

Larijani during a press interview (Tasnim) 
Larijani during a press interview (Tasnim) 
TT
20
TT

Larijani Urges Trump to Define Economic Interests with Iran

Larijani during a press interview (Tasnim) 
Larijani during a press interview (Tasnim) 

Ali Larijani, a senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, warned that any attack on Iran “will not go unanswered” and called on former US President Donald Trump to “define economic interests with Iran.” His remarks came two days after he suggested that Tehran could reconsider its nuclear program in response to any American military strike.

On Sunday, Trump threatened Iran with an unprecedented military response and further economic pressure if it failed to reach an agreement with Washington to curb its nuclear ambitions.

Earlier, on March 7, Trump announced he had sent a letter to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, urging negotiations on a new nuclear deal or facing possible military action.

In response, Khamenei warned on Monday that the US would receive a “strong slap” if it acted on Trump’s threats.

Hours later, Larijani cautioned that continued pressure on Iran could push the country toward developing nuclear weapons. In an interview with state television, he said: “The Supreme Leader’s fatwa forbids nuclear weapons, but if the US makes a mistake, the Iranian people may demand their production.” He added that even “rational Americans” understood that attacking Iran would only accelerate its nuclear ambitions.

On Wednesday, Larijani shared part of his television interview on his X account, stating: “Mr. Trump is a talented businessman who has built significant wealth. The US can define economic interests with Iran.”

He continued: “Trump claims to seek peace, so he should not speak the language of threats and war. Any attack on Iran will have consequences. We have experienced military leaders ready to respond.”

Larijani previously served as Iran’s parliamentary speaker during negotiations for the 2015 nuclear deal, which lifted US sanctions in exchange for restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program. Western companies signed contracts with Iran following the agreement, but Khamenei later blocked economic cooperation with American firms.

“The catastrophic failures in our region, which cost previous US administrations more than $7 trillion, are proof that military intervention is not the answer,” Larijani added.

A day earlier, Iranian diplomat Abbas Araghchi said Tehran rejected direct talks with Washington due to “threats” and “bullying” by the US. “We do not negotiate under pressure, only as equals,” he said, without providing further details.

Iran has rolled back key commitments under the nuclear deal in two phases. The first began in May 2019, when Tehran announced a “gradual withdrawal” from the agreement. The second came under US President Joe Biden, who sought but failed to revive the deal.

In February 2021, Iran halted compliance with the Additional Protocol of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and began enriching uranium to 20%, later increasing it to 60% at its Fordow and Natanz facilities.

While Tehran insists its nuclear program is purely peaceful, Western powers argue there is no credible civilian justification for such high levels of uranium enrichment. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has noted that no country has enriched uranium to these levels without ultimately developing nuclear weapons.