UN chief blasted as ‘abjectly tone-deaf’ over message to Iran marking revolution anniversary

UN Secretary-General António Guterres sent a congratulatory message to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The message, sent despite recent UN condemnation of Iran's human rights abuses during anti-government protests, has drawn criticism from Iranian dissidents and human rights advocates. Critics, including analysts and organizations like UN Watch and the National Union for Democracy in Iran, argue the message is poorly timed and legitimizes a repressive regime. They contend that it undermines the UN's credibility while Iran continues to face accusations of executions, repression, and systemic abuse. The message comes as Iran's foreign minister is scheduled to address the UN Human Rights Council later this month.