Canada is to host a virtual meeting of female foreign ministers to discuss Iran’s “brutal” crackdown on protests ignited by the death of a young woman who was detained by morality police for “improper” use of the hijab.
Canada’s foreign minister, Melanie Joly, said she and 14 others will meet virtually on Thursday to discuss the state of women’s and human rights in Iran, Joly’s office said, adding that it would give them an opportunity to coordinate efforts and discuss “ways to increase their collective support for the Iranian people”.
“My counterparts and I will gather to send a clear message: the Iranian regime must end all forms of violence and persecution against the Iranian people, including their brutal aggressions against women in particular,” Joly said.
“Canada will continue to stand by the courageous Iranians who are fighting for their human rights and standing up for their mothers, sisters, wives and daughters. Women’s rights are human rights,” she said.
Foreign ministers from Germany, Chile, New Zealand and Norway are among the 14 who will join Canada, a government source said. France will join the call, but foreign minister Catherine Colonna will not be able to, said the source.
Officials will hear from women of Iranian heritage, Joly’s office said.
Joly announced additional sanctions on Wednesday over human rights violations in Iran, targeting four entities and six individuals, including Iran’s deputy interior minister Majid Mirahmadi.
While the current unrest does not appear close to toppling the Iranian government, the situation has raised international concerns as talks on Iran’s nuclear capabilities appear at a stalemate and Tehran has moved to support Russia’s invasion in Ukraine.
Iran has accused countries who have expressed support for the protests of meddling in its internal affairs.
Mahsa Amini, who hailed from Iran’s Kurdistan region, died on 16 September after being detained three days earlier by morality police in Tehran for her “inappropriate attire”.
Other countries expected to participate in the meeting are Albania, Andorra, Central African Republic, Chile, Iceland, Kosovo, Libya, Liechtenstein, Mongolia and Panama.