UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary General António Guterres sent a congratulatory message to Iran on the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, a move that drew sharp criticism from anti-regime Iranian voices and human rights defenders.
In a letter addressed to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Guterres “expressed his warmest congratulations on the National Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” describing such anniversaries as an opportunity to reflect on a country’s path and contributions to the international community, according to Iranian state and regional reporting published Wednesday.
The message comes weeks after the UN’s top human rights body condemned Iran for abuses linked to the violent crackdown on anti-government protests and ordered further investigations into alleged abuses, with some reports citing casualty figures as high as 30,000, pending verification.
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UN Secretary General António Guterres speaks during the 55th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 26, 2024. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Moreover, according to the NGO UN Watch, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to address the UN Human Rights Council on February 23.
Against that backdrop, critics said the Secretary-General’s congratulatory message risked sending a contradictory message.
“The UN Secretary General’s congratulatory message is not merely a diplomatic routine – it is downright tone-deaf,” said Iran analyst Banafsheh Zand. “At a time when the Iranian people continue to suffer executions, repression and systematic abuse at the hands of the Islamic Republic, offering formal congratulations to the architects of that suffering is seen as a moral failure.”
Zand added that such gestures “erode [the U.N.’s] credibility and deepen the wound for those still fighting for freedom in Iran.”
Andrew Ghalili, policy director at the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI), said the message amounted to legitimizing a repressive system.
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Cars burn in a street during a protest against the collapse of the currency in Tehran, Iran, January 8, 2026. (Stringer/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)
“The United Nations legitimizes a regime built on repression, executions and the systematic destruction of fundamental freedoms,” Ghalili said. “Offering celebratory recognition to the Islamic Republic on the anniversary of its revolution ignores the bloodshed, the repression of protesters and the continued hostage-taking of innocent people.”
Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that impunity has enabled continued abuses in Iran, and have urged U.N. member states to demand accountability for what they describe as systemic violations and mass killings of protesters.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi holds a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Istanbul, Turkey on January 30, 2026. (Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“The letter that came out from the Secretary General is a form letter. Every year, every Member State receives exactly the same letter… congratulating them on the national holiday and sending best wishes to the people of that country.”
The spokesperson added that similar letters were sent to other countries on the same day to mark national holidays and “should not be interpreted… as an endorsement of any policy introduced by the government.” He said the message does not change “the Secretary General’s view” on Iran, noting that Guterres has previously spoken out against the crackdown and violence.
On reports that Iran’s foreign minister is expected to address the Human Rights Council later this month, the spokesperson said the matter falls under the council’s authority.
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“That is a decision of the Human Rights Council,” he said. “This is a membership organization. Every Member State has the right to turn to legislative bodies… It is not within the competence of the Secretariat to prohibit Member States from turning to a legislative body.”
