The Secretary-General has been closely following the ongoing protests in Iran. During their bilateral meeting on 22 September 2022, the Secretary-General stressed to President Raisi the need to respect human rights, including freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.  

We are increasingly concerned about reports of rising fatalities, including women and children, related to the protests. The Secretary-General calls on the security forces to refrain from using unnecessary or disproportionate force and appeals to all to exercise utmost restraint to avoid further escalation. 

We underline the need for prompt, impartial and effective investigation into Ms. Mahsa Amini’s death by an independent competent authority.