The spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry today denounced the decision by the United Nations Human Rights Council to launch a fact-finding mission regarding Iran’s latest protests.

In response to the council's resolution to establish a fact-finding mission to investigate Iran over protests that began on Sept. 16, Nasser Kanani said at a press conference, “Hasty use of human rights mechanisms and the use as tools [of] such mechanisms against independent countries is rejected and condemned and will not progress human rights. The Islamic Republic of Iran will not have any cooperation with a political committee under the name of a fact-finding mission.” 

On Nov. 24, the UN Human Rights Council passed the resolution to investigate Iran over the use of deadly force to suppress protests that began after a young woman died in police custody after she was apprehended by the morality police. The protests quickly spread across the country, and so far nearly 400 people have been killed, a high number of them teenagers. 

Kanani also accused Western countries of promoting the protests in Iran. “That Western governments, especially the US and liked-minded governments, have incited riots inside Iran, there is no doubt; there is precise information on this. This information has been given to Iranian embassies in various frameworks. A considerable number of citizens of other countries have been arrested.”