Tehran challenges UN Special Rapporteur Mai Sato’s findings on arrests and executions in Iran, arguing that the human rights mandate is politically motivated.

TEHRAN, IRAN — WEB DESK : Iran has criticised the United Nations’ human rights mechanism following a report by Special Rapporteur Mai Sato that raised concerns about arrests, executions and restrictions on dissent during the country’s ongoing regional conflict.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei challenged the mandate of the UN investigator, describing it as politically motivated and accusing the mechanism of diverting attention from military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran.

The criticism followed Sato’s presentation of a report to the UN General Assembly on October 28. Her findings covered the period from February to August 2026 and examined developments in Iran’s human rights situation following nationwide protests and the outbreak of regional hostilities.

The report highlighted concerns that Iranian authorities had intensified pressure on dissent during the conflict, including through arrests, criminal proceedings and executions linked to protests. It also raised questions about the fairness of trials and the treatment of detainees.

Baqaei argued that the UN mechanism was being used to place responsibility on Tehran while overlooking the consequences of US and Israeli military operations and economic sanctions. Iranian officials have repeatedly rejected country-specific human rights investigations, maintaining that such measures are politically driven.

The dispute reflects wider international divisions over Iran’s human rights record, national sovereignty and the impact of the regional conflict on civilians.

UN investigators have raised concerns about alleged abuses by Iranian authorities, while Tehran maintains that international scrutiny fails to adequately address the effects of foreign military action and sanctions on the Iranian population.

The competing positions underline the challenge of addressing human rights concerns amid an active regional conflict. The report and Iran’s response have added another point of disagreement between Tehran and international human rights institutions.

Further developments may depend on subsequent UN proceedings, additional evidence and responses from Iranian authorities to the concerns raised in the report.