The United Nations reconfirmed Iran to its seat on the Committee for Programme and Coordination on Wednesday, sparking outrage from member states who believe the country’s record of aggression should disqualify its representatives from the committee’s work to review human rights, women’s rights and counterterrorism programs.
Ahead of the vote, Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, a human rights watchdog, said he believes the move gives Iran another tool for the regime’s propaganda machine.
“They use it,” Neuer said. “You’ll see a headline in Iranian propaganda right away: ‘Hey, look, we were elected to yet another body.’ And it sends a signal… As they’re killing their own people, what does the world have to say?”
Neuer believes Iran’s continued spot on the committee gives Tehran a nod of international legitimacy amid its ongoing conflict with the U.S., showcasing the U.N.’s uneven record for creating a forum to deter international violence.
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“Sometimes [the U.N.] is effective. Sometimes they’re not. Sometimes, even when they’re effective, they’re effective in a bad way. There’s an effect, but it’s to empower dictatorships,” Neuer said.
“The U.N. spends a lot of its time attacking democracies like America, like Israel. America gets condemned every year for the embargo in Cuba. Last year, there was one resolution on Iran, one on North Korea, one on Myanmar — and 15 on Israel. And Hamas, Islam and jihad were never mentioned once. That happens a lot at the U.N.”
Iran was reconfirmed with the support of 144 ballots cast by the U.N. General Assembly.
The Committee for Programme and Coordination consists of 34 member states, each of which is elected to the body for a three-year term. Although it is not one of the U.N.’s six main committees, it reviews the organization’s plans and priorities, making recommendations on their design, priorities, coordination and effectiveness.
Iran’s renewal to the post prompted an outcry from lawmakers in the U.S. on Tuesday afternoon.
“The United Nations elected Iran — the world’s biggest exporter of terrorism — to the committee responsible for establishing priorities on disarmament, counterterrorism and women’s rights,” the House Foreign Affairs Committee wrote in a statement posted to X.
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“The United Nations is morally bankrupt: no sane person can take it seriously.”
Similarly, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand issued her own statement condemning the move.
“Canada is steadfastly opposed to giving Iran a seat on the UN Committee for Programme and Coordination — and Canada voted against Iran’s inclusion today at the UN. The committee should be comprised of countries entrusted with shaping the work of the United Nations and must uphold the principles of its Charter. The Iranian regime silences dissent at home and fuels instability across the Middle East. We stand with the people of Iran,” Anand said.
Notably, Australia also joined the opposition, voting alongside Canada against Iran’s confirmation.
“Australia strongly opposes Iran’s nomination to the UN Committee for Programme and Coordination and voted against. Iran’s human rights violations and destabilizing conduct undermine multilateralism,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong wrote.
Neuer believes it’s not just Western countries that will be watching how the U.N. treats Iran. He noted that aggressors constantly monitor the international field to get a sense of how it might react in the future.
“It’s like Putin looks when Obama said we ‘have a red line in Syria. Use chemical weapons — red line.’ Well, Syria used chemical weapons. And Obama… did nothing. That sent a message. Shortly thereafter, Putin invaded Ukraine. I’m not saying that invasions are gonna happen the next day, but these things send messages, and constantly governments are taking the temperature. What is the pushback?” Neuer said.
He also observed that although many in the U.S. view the U.N. with some skepticism, other countries still use the group as a barometer of international consensus.
“The United Nations is considered for many a repository of international legitimacy; it may not be so in the United States… but in many parts of the world it is regarded as the arbiter of international legitimacy,” Neuer said.
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“What is the signal you’re giving to the ayatollah regime? They murdered tens of thousands of people. They’re hanging dissidents. They are torturing women who defend their right not to cover every piece of their hair. They beat political prisoners. What message does the world have to send? Did you give them a pat on the back? Or did you? Did you penalize them?”