The United Nations’ top human rights body decided Thursday to launch a new mission to investigate the Iranian regime’s crackdown on mass protests.
These protests have gripped Iran since September of this year.
The motion was approved by 25 votes in favor, 6 against and 16 abstentions in the UN Human Rights Council.
Activists and some diplomats celebrated with cheers and applause as the result was read by the president of the Council.
Tehran’s representative at the Geneva meeting, Khadijeh Karimi, previously accused Western countries of using this council to attack Iran, which she called “terrible and shameful”.
China tried but failed to pass an amendment to the motion that would have removed the key paragraph referring to the investigation into Iran’s crackdown on mass protests.
Representatives from dozens of countries that supported the motion, including the United States and Britain, criticized China’s request and demanded that the 47-member Geneva council vote on the motion without that amendment.
The US ambassador for human rights, Michele Taylor, said she was “appalled” by China’s last-minute request.
The representatives of Iran criticized this motion several times, which they called “completely one-sided”.
Protests against Iran’s clerical regime erupted two months ago after the death in custody of a 22-year-old woman who was arrested by morality police for allegedly violating hijab rules.
Authorities say Mahsa Amini died of a heart attack, but her family and other Iranians believe she died as a result of a police beating.
It is reported that the protests have spread to 140 cities and towns in Iran and that they have become the biggest challenge for the Islamic Republic in more than ten years.