Statement by the Vice President on Protests in Iran and the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

The United States continues to stand with the brave women of Iran as they protest peacefully for their fundamental rights and basic human dignity. All people in Iran must have the right to freedom of expression and assembly, and Iran must end its use of violence against its own citizens simply for exercising their fundamental freedoms.

The United States believes that no nation that systematically abuses the rights of women and girls should play a role in any international or United Nations body charged with protecting these very same rights. The UN Commission on the Status of Women and its members are charged with "promoting women's rights" and addressing "urgent problems requiring immediate attention in the field of women's rights." Iran has demonstrated through its denial of women's rights and brutal crackdown on its own people that it is unfit to serve on this Commission; Iran's very presence discredits the integrity of its membership and the work to advance its mandate. This is why today the United States is announcing our intention to work with our partners to remove Iran from the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

To all of those protesting I say again, we see you and we hear you. I am inspired by your bravery, as are people around the world. We will continue to hold accountable the Iranian officials and entities responsible for the violence against protestors.