Iran accuses UN of ignoring US and Israeli military actions

Iran has accused the United Nations human rights system of turning a blind eye to alleged US and Israeli military actions while focusing criticism on Tehran, raising fresh questions over the impartiality of international human rights institutions amid escalating regional tensions.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei strongly criticised the UN’s human rights mechanism concerning Iran, claiming it was being used to divert attention from what Tehran describes as aggression, alleged atrocities and unilateral sanctions imposed against the country.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, Baghaei described the mandate of Mai Sato, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, as politically motivated. He alleged that Britain had imposed the mandate on the UN Human Rights Council to advance a particular political agenda.

The Iranian spokesperson further argued that using the Special Rapporteur’s position to hold Tehran responsible for alleged crimes committed by the United States and Israel was misleading and dishonest.

Baghaei’s remarks came after Sato presented her latest report on Iran to the United Nations General Assembly, highlighting the impact of military operations and the Iranian government’s response to the ongoing regional conflict.

The report acknowledged that military actions by the United States and Israel had worsened the hardships faced by ordinary Iranians. However, it also raised serious concerns about the Iranian authorities’ treatment of dissenting voices during the conflict.

According to the report, Tehran used the heightened tensions as an opportunity to intensify its crackdown on critics and opposition voices, resulting in increased arrests and pressure on individuals expressing disagreement with government policies.

The findings therefore highlighted two parallel human rights concerns: the consequences of foreign military operations for Iranian civilians and the actions taken by Iranian authorities against people exercising their right to dissent.

The contrasting positions have added another dimension to the growing diplomatic dispute between Tehran and international human rights institutions.

While Iran maintains that the UN’s approach is politically driven and fails to address alleged violations by Washington and Tel Aviv, the Special Rapporteur’s report presents a broader assessment that also examines the Iranian government’s domestic conduct.

The disagreement underscores the challenges facing international human rights mechanisms as regional conflicts intensify, with questions over accountability, civilian protection and political freedoms continuing to dominate discussions at the United Nations.