The UK agreed to allow Iran to stand for election to a UN committee responsible for reviewing the global body’s policies on women’s rights and international terrorism.
The decision has prompted criticism from human rights campaigners and MPs, including former Foreign Office minister Lord Goldsmith.
Iran secured 144 votes in a secret ballot at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, winning a three-year position on the Committee for Programme and Coordination, which helps to set the organisation’s priorities and policies, with its term beginning on January 1, 2027.
The UK was among a group of Western countries that did not object when Iran was put forward by the UN’s Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc) in April.
Hillel Neuer, executive director of Geneva-based monitoring organisation UN Watch, had urged countries to oppose Iran’s election.
Ahead of the vote, he said: “They are planning to elect the Islamic regime in Iran to a UN committee that shapes priorities on women’s rights and terrorism prevention.
“This is a travesty of justice… They massacred tens of thousands of people in January, [so] the notion that they would be named to this committee is an absurdity.”
Following the announcement, Neuer wrote on X: “The UN General Assembly just elected the murderous Islamic Republic of Iran to its Committee for Programme and Coordination, the main body shaping the world organisation’s priorities on women’s rights, human rights, disarmament, and counter-terrorism.”
In the UK, Lord Goldsmith also condemned the result, writing: “Unbelievably, Iran (yes, Iran) has just been elected to the UN Committee that sets the priorities for women’s rights, counter-terrorism and peacekeeping.
“This, the country with an almost uniquely violent record of brutalising women, executing peaceful female protesters and, of course, sponsoring very widespread terrorism.”
He also questioned how the international community could justify giving Iran influence in areas relating to women's rights, asking: “If the young women of Iran who dare to remove their headscarves, or sing, or engage in peaceful protest to press for basic democracy aren’t the underdog in their battle with a vicious and murderous regime… who then is an underdog?
“I can’t exaggerate how ashamed I am of my country. I’m sickened and repulsed by what it has become.”
The UK did not formally oppose Iran’s candidacy during the April process, with the US the only nation to do so.
The US representative told Ecosoc that Iran was unfit to serve on a body advising member states on programme and budgetary matters, citing the regime's threats to neighbouring countries and restrictions on the basic human rights of its own population.
The UK has declined to reveal how it voted on Wednesday, but has said that it “strongly regrets” that the Islamic Republic achieved the role.
Foreign Office minister Baroness Winterton of Doncaster told the House of Lords: “The UK Government does not comment on how it votes in secret ballots at the United Nations.
“That said, we strongly regret that Iran has been elected to the UN committee for programme and co-ordination, and frankly, Iran’s continuing threats to its regional neighbours, its violation of human rights and its broader destabilising conduct serve to undermine multilateralism and make Iran unfit to serve on a UN body of this nature.
“We do not believe that this was an outcome we would have wanted to see and, frankly, we don’t believe that Iran is fit to serve on a UN body.”
Non-affiliated peer, and JC director, Lord Austin urged the government to “look at” its position of not revealing how it votes after Australia and Canada both declared they voted against Iran.
The former Labour MP said: “I understand the traditional position has been for the UK not to set out how it votes at the UN, but right now Iran is organising terror attacks on the Jewish community here in the UK and on defence sites.
“And, so, surely this is (the) time to look at this position again. Australia and Canada both confirmed that they voted against Iran yesterday.
“So, can the minister tell us why did we not do more to oppose the nomination in April? And will she confirm on the record that we voted against yesterday?
“And, if not, what message does she think this step sends to the Jewish community in the UK, our allies in Israel and brave Iranians who are risking their lives to campaign for freedom and democracy?”
Following the vote, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita said: “Canada is steadfastly opposed to giving Iran a seat on the UN Committee for Programme and Coordination,” Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said after the vote.
“The Iranian regime silences dissent at home and fuels instability across the Middle East. We stand with the people of Iran.”
And her Australian counterpart, Penny Wong, said: “Australia strongly opposes and voted against Iran’s appointment to the UN committee for programme and co-ordination.
“Iran’s human rights violations and destabilising conduct undermine multilateralism. Australia stands with the people of Iran.”
Responding to Lord Austian, Lady Winterton said he was right to draw attention to attacks on Jewish communities and the role of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in orchestrating them.
She said: “We will, I can assure him, use every power available to us to tackle the threat posed by the Iranian state, which we know is targeting our Jewish community.
“As I have said, we don’t comment on how we vote, but I think I’ve made very clear that we strongly regret that Iran was elected to the UN committee for programme and co-ordination. I’m not sure I can be much stronger than that.”
Additional reporting by the Press Association
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