Iran Ousted from UN Women's Body after US Campaign 

People attend a UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting focused on the ongoing protests in Iran, hosted by the United States and Albania at the United Nations in Manhattan, New York City, US, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
People attend a UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting focused on the ongoing protests in Iran, hosted by the United States and Albania at the United Nations in Manhattan, New York City, US, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
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Iran Ousted from UN Women's Body after US Campaign 

People attend a UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting focused on the ongoing protests in Iran, hosted by the United States and Albania at the United Nations in Manhattan, New York City, US, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
People attend a UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting focused on the ongoing protests in Iran, hosted by the United States and Albania at the United Nations in Manhattan, New York City, US, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

Iran was ousted from a United Nations women's body on Wednesday for policies contrary to the rights of women and girls, a move proposed by the United States after Tehran's brutal crackdown on protests sparked by the death of a young woman in custody. 

The 54-member UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) adopted a US-drafted resolution to "remove with immediate effect the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women for the remainder of its 2022-2026 term." 

On Wednesday, 29 voted in favor, eight against and there were 16 abstentions. 

US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told ECOSOC before the vote that removing Iran was the right thing to do, describing Tehran’s membership as an “ugly stain on the commission’s credibility.” 

Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani called the US move as illegal, describing the United States as a bully. 

The 45-member Commission on the Status of Women meets annually every March and aims to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women. 

Iran, 17 other states and the Palestinians had argued in a letter to ECOSOC on Monday that a vote "will undoubtedly create an unwelcome precedent that will ultimately prevent other Member States with different cultures, customs and traditions ... from contributing to the activities of such Commissions." 

Only five of the signatories to the letter are currently ECOSOC members and were able to vote on Wednesday. 

Tehran on Monday hanged a man in public who state media said had been convicted of killing two members of the security forces, the second execution in less than a week of people involved in protests against Iran's ruling theocracy. 

Nationwide unrest erupted three months ago after the death while in detention of 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by morality police enforcing the country’s mandatory dress code laws. 

The demonstrations have turned into a popular revolt by furious Iranians from all layers of society, posing one of the most significant legitimacy challenges to the clerical elite since the 1979 revolution. 

Iran has blamed its foreign enemies and their agents for the unrest. 

The Geneva-based UN Rights Council voted last month to appoint an independent investigation into Iran's deadly repression of protests, passing the motion to cheers of activists. Tehran accused Western states of using the council to target Iran in an "appalling and disgraceful" move. 



Iran Extends Access to Airspace for Overflights after Ceasefire

People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, June 28, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, June 28, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
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Iran Extends Access to Airspace for Overflights after Ceasefire

People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, June 28, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, June 28, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

Iran has expanded access to its airspace for international overflights following a ceasefire with Israel, though flight restrictions remain in place across much of the country, an official said Saturday.

"In addition to the eastern half of the country's airspace being available for domestic, international and overflight operations, the airspace over the central and western parts of the country has now also been opened only for international overflights," Majid Akhavan, spokesman for the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, said in a statement carried by the IRNA state news agency.

Flights to and from airports in the north, south and west of the country, including Tehran's Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini international airports, remained suspended, according to Akhavan.

"All fellow citizens are requested not to go to airports located in the northern, southern and western regions of the country," he said, urging travelers to follow updates through official sources only.

The move comes after Iran reopened its eastern airspace on Wednesday, following a ceasefire that ended 12 days of fighting with Israel.

Iran had closed its skies entirely on June 13 after Israel launched a wave of airstrikes, prompting Iranian missile retaliation.

Airports now operating include Mashhad in eastern Iran -- which Israel claimed to have targeted during the conflict -- as well as Chabahar in the southeast.

Flights in other regions remain suspended until further notice.