The glitz surrounding the negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program is overshadowing a concurrent debate taking place over the dismal state of human rights in the country. Little of the camera glare — focused on the flurry of foreign ministers in Geneva and the parameters of a nuclear deal — is being shared with the ambassadors and UN experts working quietly on a human rights resolution being debated in New York. It was just last year that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared on his visit to Tehran, “The United Nations and the international community are fully behind the people of Iran in your long struggle for democracy and human rights.” The UN General Assembly should translate that commitment into practice next week by passing a resolution reiterating its demands that Iran halt violations against its citizenry. 

Governments are debating resolutions related to ending child marriage, the conduct of genuine democratic elections, and the situations in Syria, North Korea, Burma and Iran. A  damning new report on abuses in Iran makes the case for international action this year indisputable. In Iran, newly elected President Hassan Rouhani and the Iranian people will only stand to benefit if UN member states demonstrate leadership, fulfill their duty and cast a favorable vote on the resolution to protect and promote human rights in Iran. 

This week marked Rouhani’s 100th day in office. UN ambassadors and foreign ministers should be reminded that in a field of presidential candidates who each offered solutions toward reducing international tensions and improving the economy, what distinguished Rouhani from his opponents, and arguably the reason he won, was his promise to uphold the human rights of the Iranian people. During his campaign, Rouhani promised to advance free speech, end discrimination against women and minorities and release political prisoners. In April, he said, "All Iranian people should feel there is justice. Justice means equal opportunity. All ethnicities, all religions, even religious minorities, must feel justice."  

Until recently, Iran has done little to improve its record on human rights despite the demands of its people and the international community. While several prisoners of conscience have been released and a minister has called for the unblocking of social media, the government fails to cooperate with UN human rights mechanisms or to implement the hundreds of recommendations from UN bodies for it to meet its international human rights obligations.