UN Security Council convenes to discuss deadly protests in Iran

UN Security Council Holds Emergency Meeting on Iran Protests

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the ongoing protests in Iran and tensions between the US and Iranian governments. Representatives from both countries attended the meeting, with Iranian Deputy UN Representative Gholamhossein Darzi warning that his country would respond to any US aggression.

US Representative Mike Waltz criticized the Iranian government’s response to the protests, citing the internet blackout as a challenge to verifying the extent of the crackdown by authorities. He also stated that Iran’s claims of foreign involvement in the protests were a sign of fear from its own people.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied plans to execute antigovernment protesters during an interview with Fox News. Iranian-American journalist and government critic Masih Alinejad called for “real and concrete action” to bring justice to those responsible for the crackdowns in Iran.

The meeting also heard from UN Assistant Secretary-General Martha Pobee, who briefed the council on the situation in Iran. She reported that the protests have resulted in significant loss of life and mass arrests, with estimates exceeding 18,000 detainees as of mid-January. The UN called on Iran to treat detainees humanely and halt any executions linked to protest-related cases.

The US imposed further sanctions against Iranian officials, including Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and several other officials. These sanctions were described as a response to Tehran’s “brutal” response to the demonstrations.

The meeting came as tensions between the US and Iranian governments continued to escalate. The UN Security Council will continue to monitor the situation in Iran and provide updates as necessary.

Source: Al Jazeera