Thank you Mr. President,

The Kingdom of the Netherlands aligns itself with the EU statement and is deeply concerned about the ongoing escalation in the Middle East. We urge the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately cease its indiscriminate attacks across the wider region and call on all parties to comply with international humanitarian law.

Widespread human rights violations persist unabated in Iran. We strongly condemn the systematic oppression of women and girls, human rights defenders, LGBTQI+ persons, and ethnic and religious minorities. We denounce the alarming number of executions, as well as Iran’s practice of arbitrary detention and transnational repression. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms must be upheld at all times.

We are alarmed that Iran has repeatedly shut down the internet this year and appeal to its government to uphold the freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly, and to guarantee unrestricted access to information and the internet.

Mr. President, we underscore the urgent need for ongoing monitoring, and ask that the Fact-Finding Mission and the Special Rapporteur be provided with adequate resources and institutional support to carry out their work.

We continue to urge the Islamic Republic of Iran to fully cooperate with both the Special Rapporteur and the Fact-Finding Mission. Thank you.