ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran on Friday condemned the extension of a United Nations investigation into human rights violations in the Islamic republic.
“The content of this resolution as lacking legal value and credibility due to the ill intent of its drafters,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a statement.
He accused Western countries, particularly the United Kingdom and Germany, of exerting political pressure and "following the United States in imposing illegal and inhuman sanctions against the Iranian nation."
The UN Human Rights Council on Thursday expressed concern over human rights violations in Iran, especially a surge in executions, and urged Tehran to “fully repeal” its new hijab law. In a resolution adopted with 24 votes in favor, eight against, and 15 abstentions, the council decided to extend the mandate of its fact-finding mission for another year.
The mission was originally established in November 2022 during the Jin Jiyan Azadi (Woman, Life, Freedom) protests to investigate human rights violations.
The Human Rights Council said it was alarmed “at the ongoing surge in executions, including of individuals charged with offences that do not meet the threshold of the most serious crimes.”
Iran ranks second globally for known executions and the number of death penalties it implements has risen dramatically in recent years. Tehran has been accused by human rights groups of using the death penalty to suppress minority groups, like Baluchis and Kurds, who were active in the 2022 protests. Tehran executed an estimated 909 prisoners in 2024, with Kurds making up 20 percent of the total, the Oslo-based Hengaw human rights organization reported in February.
The Human Rights Council also urged a “pause in implementation of the Law on Protecting the Family through the Promotion of the Culture of Chastity and Hijab and calling upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to fully repeal this law and all discriminatory compulsory veiling laws and policies, and to remove other barriers to the political and economic participation of women.”
The Chastity and Hijab Law was passed in reaction to challenges the government faced enforcing its existing hijab laws in the face of widespread protests in 2022, ignited by the death of young Kurdish woman Zhina (Mahsa) Amini while in the custody of the so-called morality police for a lax hijab.
Iran’s parliament speaker said in March that the country is laying the necessary groundwork and regulations to implement the new controversial law.
Sarah Hashash, deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, welcomed the expansion of the mission’s mandate and its special rapporteur, saying it is important "for justice from survivors, victims’ families and human rights defenders in Iran and in exile."
“Today’s vote delivers a strong message to the Iranian authorities and their judges, prosecutors, security and intelligence agents that they cannot continue to commit serious violations and crimes under international law without the risk of consequences,” Hashash added.
At the Human Right Council meeting, Iran strongly criticized the resolution. Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Office Ali Bahraini described it as “another waste of resources that will further shrivel trust in the work of this council.”