Iran Protests: Tehran Rejects UN Investigation

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Facts

  • Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that Tehran won't cooperate with a newly-appointed UN Human Rights Council (UNHCR) investigation into its crackdown on anti-government protests.
  • He also stated that the ministry has summoned Germany's ambassador in Tehran, Hans Udo-Muzel, for the third time in a month to protest "against the interventionist and baseless statements of the German authorities."
  • This comes after a resolution proposed by Germany and Iceland to create an independent fact-finding mission to investigate alleged abuses committed against demonstrators was backed by 25 other countries at the UNHCR last Thursday.
  • The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in morality police custody for allegedly not complying with Iran's mandatory dress code sparked protests in September, with the UN estimating that more than 300 people have died and nearly 14K have been arrested.
  • Tehran announced last week the establishment of a local fact-finding mission to investigate "events, riots, and unrest" over the past several weeks, when protests have been most intense in Kurdish-majority northwestern provinces.
  • Meanwhile, the UN children agency (UNICEF) on Sunday urged for an end to "all forms of violence and abuse" against children in Iran, where security forces are accused of having killed more than 50 under-18s.

Sources: Reuters, Iran Intl, Tasnim, Al Jazeera, and Iranwire.

Narratives

  • Anti-Iran narrative, as provided by Le Monde. Tehran has for two months been carrying out a deadly crackdown against peaceful demonstrators. Establishing an independent international investigation is an important step that recognizes the seriousness of the situation and will help to ensure that those responsible for human rights abuses in Iran will be held accountable. The regime's deep-rooted culture of impunity must end.
  • Pro-Iran narrative, as provided by Iran News. The US and its Western allies have once again used international bodies to impose their political will and blackmail Iran, approving a biased, unfair resolution, all while hypocritically staying silent on Israel and Saudi Arabia's systematic violations of human rights. They're spreading lies about Iran to force Tehran back to the negotiation table without offering any guarantees.

Predictions