Iran rejects most UN recommendations on religious minority rights at human rights council

GENEVA — Iran rejected the majority of key recommendations issued by UN Member States at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, including many focused on its treatment of religious minorities. 

In response to the recommendations, Iran’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, claimed that all Iranian citizens enjoy civil, political, and social rights without discrimination. He further asserted that officially recognized religious minorities are free to practice their faith and maintain their cultural and religious institutions. 

Iran received 346 recommendations during its 4th Universal Periodic Review (UPR), accepting only 142 while rejecting 184. Among the rejected proposals were 26 specifically addressing the treatment of minorities, including Christians. Many of these highlighted concerns over systemic discrimination and persecution. 

Of the recommendations related to religious minority rights, Iran accepted only four that called for broad protections, along with two that promoted interfaith tolerance and one aimed at combating negative stereotypes. 

Notably, Iran rejected calls to guarantee freedom of religion or belief for all citizens, uphold the right to peaceful assembly and association, protect freedom of worship and expression, and officially recognize all religious minorities — not just Jews, Zoroastrians, and Christians of Armenian and Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) descent.