UN Security Council to discuss Iran unrest Friday

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting about Iran at the request of the US which asked for the session to show support for anti-government protests.

The council has scheduled a Friday afternoon meeting on the Middle East. Alma Konurbayeva, a spokeswoman for council president Kazakhstan, confirms the session will be about Iran.

It’s not yet clear how the discussion will take shape. Members are divided in their views of the protests.

The United States had requested that there be an open meeting on Iran at the council chamber and that a UN official from the political affairs department present a briefing on the violence.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley has praised the demonstrators, saying “the UN must speak out” to support them.

“The people of Iran are crying out for freedom,” Haley said on Tuesday. “All freedom-loving people must stand with their cause.”

At least 21 people have been killed and hundreds arrested in a week of protests and unrest. Pro-government rallies happened Wednesday and Thursday.

Haley said she would also ask the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva to discuss the violence.

But Russia has warned against “external interference” in what it sees as an Iran’s internal affairs.

Diplomats said Thursday there could be a request from Russia or from other countries to hold a procedural vote ahead of the meeting.

In Moscow earlier, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned the United States against “any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs” of Iran.

Russia maintains that the protests do not pose a threat to international peace and security and should not be taken up by the Security Council.

On Thursday, there were large pro-regime rallies in Iran, with state TV showing huge crowds marching in support of the government across 10 cities.

The United States imposed unilateral sanctions on five Iranian companies linked to Tehran’s ballistic missile program.