Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong has condemned the deadly and disproportionate use of force against protesters in Iran.
In a statement on Thursday, Wong said the Australian government said hundreds of people had died and dozens of others were injured, including dozens of children, as a result of “brute force” measures taken by Iranian authorities. to crack down on ongoing protests, which it said were “alarmed” by reports of
She added that Australia supports the right of the Iranian people to protest peacefully and “calls on the Iranian authorities to exercise restraint in response to the ongoing demonstrations”.
“Iran’s human rights record has been a long-standing and serious concern for Australia, and we have repeatedly expressed our concerns about Iran in Canberra, Tehran and at multilateral forums,” she continued.
She also reiterated that Australia has joined Canada and New Zealand in expressing serious concerns to the UN Security Council about the situation in Iran, including Iran’s position on the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
“Australia stands with Iranian women and girls fighting for equality and empowerment and will continue to call on Iran to end its oppression of women. We are committed to promoting an end to violence against women and girls,” read her statement.
Earlier, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the crackdown by Iranian authorities and urged the Islamic Republic to respect the rights of protesters.
