UN chief Guterres Urges Iran

The UN chief’s remarks come amid widespread protests in Iran, where at least 420 protesters, including eight children, have reportedly been killed in the past 15 days, according to Human Rights Activists (HRA) in Iran, as reported by CNN.

In a post on X, Guterres condemned reports that Iranian authorities were using violence and excessive force against demonstrators. He called on authorities to avoid “unnecessary or disproportionate use of force” when dealing with public protests.

Guterres said: “I am shocked by reports that the Iranian authorities have used violence and excessive force against protesters in recent days, resulting in deaths and injuries. The rights of expression, association and peaceful assembly must be fully respected and protected. I call on the Iranian authorities to exercise maximum restraint and avoid unnecessary or disproportionate use of force.”

The UN Secretary-General also called for steps to ensure access to information in Iran, including the restoration of communications services.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel is closely following the developments in Iran as protests demanding freedom continue to spread across the country. He expressed his strong support for the Iranian people’s struggle against what he described as tyranny.

In his post about X, Netanyahu wrote that the people of Israel and the world were in awe of the courage shown by Iranian citizens as demonstrations spread across the country.

The protests began on December 28 as demonstrations against rising inflation and economic hardship, but quickly turned into widespread unrest that led to violent clashes between protesters and security forces. The demonstrations later spread to many cities.

Authorities responded with arrests, crackdowns and use of force. Human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern about the death toll and the treatment of protesters.

While Iranian officials blame rebels and allegations of foreign intervention for the unrest, they argue that legitimate economic grievances will also be addressed.

Amid the turmoil, US officials told CNN that President Donald Trump was considering various military options regarding Iran after warning Tehran against using lethal force against demonstrators.

Iranian Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi Azad said legal sanctions against protesters will be strict. He said the trial would be conducted “without tolerance, mercy or compromise”, Tasnim news agency quoted him as saying, adding that the charges against all rebels would be the same.