Iran thanks Pakistan for opposing UN rights vote in Geneva
PM Shehbaz interacts with Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan H.E. Reza Amiri Moghadam at Pakistan International Maritime Expo and Conference on June 16. Photo: x.com/GovtofPakistan
Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan has publicly thanked Islamabad for opposing a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution that deepens international scrutiny of Tehran’s crackdown on protests.
“I extend my sincere gratitude to the esteemed Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, under the leadership of the Honorable Prime Minister, H.E. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Muhammad Ishaq Dar,” Iran’s Ambassador Raza Amiri Moghadam said in a post on X.
I extend my sincere gratitude to the esteemed Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, under the leadership of the Honorable Prime Minister, H.E. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Muhammad Ishaq Dar, for their… https://t.co/hamR0E4JhD pic.twitter.com/xpSpQ2exhG
He said Pakistan provided “historic and unwavering support” to Iran at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva by calling for a vote and casting a negative vote against what he described as an “unjustified resolution targeting Iran.”
“I convey my special appreciation to the competent and professional representatives of the Permanent Mission of Pakistan in Geneva for their tireless efforts and dedication in the pursuit of justice,” he said.
Moghadam said Pakistan’s stance marked “the third consecutive defeat of unprovoked and politically motivated actions against Iran over the past year,” referring to what he called “the unprovoked twelve-day aggression, recent foreign-backed riots aimed at destabilizing the country, and the misuse of international organizations to pursue capricious and hostile agendas by certain members.”
“Such steadfast support is a clear reflection of Pakistan’s enduring commitment to justice, multilateralism, respect for human rights, and national sovereignty, and will be remembered with deep appreciation,” he added.
A day earlier, the 47-member UN Human Rights Council voted to expand its investigation into Iran over its violent crackdown on protests, which UN officials say left thousands dead, including children.
Read here: UNHRC decries 'unprecedented' Iran crackdown
With 25 votes in favour, seven against and the rest abstaining, the council decided to extend and broaden the mandate of independent investigators gathering evidence to ensure accountability for human rights violations in Iran.
The council voiced alarm over “the unprecedented scale of the violent crackdown on peaceful protests by security forces.”
“A climate of fear and systematic impunity cannot be tolerated,” Iceland’s ambassador Einar Gunnarsson said while presenting the resolution. “Victims and survivors deserve truth, justice and accountability.”
The adopted text extended the mandate of the UN special rapporteur on Iran for another year and prolonged for two years the work of a separate fact-finding mission established in November 2022 after protests erupted over the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian Kurdish woman.
The resolution empowers investigators to probe “allegations of recent and ongoing serious human rights violations and abuses, and crimes perpetrated in relation to the protests.”
The vote followed an urgent session of the council requested by Britain, Germany, Iceland, Moldova and North Macedonia, a move sharply criticised by Iran.
In opening remarks to the council, UN rights chief Volker Turk said Iranian security forces had used “live ammunition” against protesters, adding that “thousands” had been killed, including children.
“I call on the Iranian authorities to reconsider, to pull back, and to end their brutal repression, including summary trials and disproportionate sentences,” Turk said.