UN Secretary-General António Guterres has faced strong criticism after sending a congratulatory message to Iran marking the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Critics argue that the gesture was inappropriate, coming only weeks after the United Nations condemned Iran over its violent crackdown on anti-government protesters, reports FoxNews.
In a letter addressed to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Guterres extended his “warmest congratulations” on the National Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to Iranian state and regional media, he described such anniversaries as an opportunity to reflect on a country’s history and its contributions to the international community.
The message has provoked backlash from Iranian opposition figures and human rights advocates. The timing is particularly sensitive. Recently, the UN’s leading human rights body condemned Iran for serious abuses linked to the suppression of protests. Investigations into alleged violations are ongoing, with some reports citing possible casualty figures of up to 30,000, although these numbers have not yet been independently verified.
Further controversy surrounds the expected appearance of Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, at the UN Human Rights Council on 23 February, according to the NGO UN Watch.
Banafsheh Zand, an Iran analyst, described the secretary-general’s message as “abjectly tone-deaf.” She argued that at a time when many Iranians continue to face executions, repression and systemic abuses, sending congratulations to the ruling authorities sends the wrong moral signal. According to Zand, such gestures risk undermining the UN’s credibility among those seeking democratic reform inside Iran.
Andrew Ghalili, policy director at the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI), also criticised the message. He said that offering celebratory recognition to the Islamic Republic ignores what he described as ongoing repression, executions and hostage-taking, and risks legitimising a system accused of serious human rights violations.
Human rights organisations have repeatedly warned that a lack of accountability has allowed abuses in Iran to continue. They have called on UN member states to pursue stronger measures to address what they describe as systemic violations.
Responding to the criticism, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the letter was part of a long-standing diplomatic protocol. He explained that the Secretary-General sends identical messages each year to all member states on their national holidays, conveying best wishes to their people. He stressed that such letters should not be interpreted as an endorsement of a government’s policies.
Dujarric added that the message does not alter Guterres’s previously stated position on Iran, including his criticism of the government’s response to protests.
Regarding Iran’s foreign minister addressing the Human Rights Council, the spokesperson said that the decision lies with the council itself. As a membership-based body, all member states have the right to address it, and the UN Secretariat does not have the authority to prevent this.
The controversy highlights the delicate balance the United Nations must maintain between diplomatic protocol and the defence of human rights, especially in cases involving governments accused of serious abuses.
Photo credit: Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP
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