Pejman’s Claim Before Departure to New York: Iran is Safer and Freer Than Portrayed

Masoud Pejman stated before his departure to New York: "I hope to be the voice of the people of the country and also the voice of justice and rights-seeking." He also added: "The reality is not what the media portrays; our Iran is much safer and freer than depicted." This claim comes as the UN fact-finding committee reported on September 23 that the Iranian government has intensified its efforts to suppress the fundamental rights of women and girls and to "destroy the remnants of women's activities" two years after the protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police. The committee's statement noted that "violent behavior, including beating and kicking women and girls, has intensified, and intrusive monitoring for hijab compliance has increased using technology." The UN fact-finding committee also expressed concern over a new pattern of issuing death sentences for women, emphasizing that the death penalty is used as a deterrent and to intimidate Iranians, calling on the Islamic Republic to immediately halt all executions of protesters and abolish the death penalty. Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US State Department, also described the UN fact-finding committee's report on the suppression of Iranian women by the Islamic Republic as "completely accurate," adding: "We also see that the suppression of women in Iran and the violation of their rights continues." Pejman also indirectly blamed the UN for the war between Hamas and Hezbollah with Israel, stating that if the UN performs its duties correctly, there should not be a country that can bomb others due to its power, technology, and science. The article also mentions Pejman's promise to reinstate expelled academics, reactions to reports of the return of expelled students to universities, the continued rise in consumer goods prices in Iran, and the White House's response to Pejman's comments regarding the Islamic Republic's interest in returning to the JCPOA, emphasizing that actions speak louder than words.