Russia's Reaction to the UN Security Council's Emergency Meeting on Protests in Iran

Reports indicate that the United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting regarding protests in Iran at the request of the United States on Friday, January 5. According to Reuters, Sergei Ryabkov, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, has described the formation of such a meeting as 'destructive and harmful.' The Associated Press reports that the spokesperson for the rotating presidency of the Security Council has confirmed that the meeting on Friday will focus on the protests in Iran. Despite the U.S. calling for this meeting, Security Council members may vote on whether to address the issue, requiring 9 votes from the 15 members for the meeting to take place. Tehran and over 90 cities in Iran have witnessed protests against the government and economic conditions over the past eight days. The crackdown on these protests has resulted in at least 22 deaths and over a thousand arrests. Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, requested the emergency Security Council meeting on Tuesday, stating, 'The world should not remain silent while the people of Iran shout for freedom.' Meanwhile, Russia has criticized the holding of this meeting. Ryabkov stated that such a meeting is 'destructive and harmful,' asserting that the Security Council cannot play a role in this matter. He added that Iran's internal issues have no connection to the duties of the UN Security Council. In this context, Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, also reacted sharply on her Facebook page to Haley's request for an emergency Security Council meeting, criticizing the recent handling of domestic protests in some U.S. cities. Iran's mission to the UN described Haley's actions as a 'show' and referred to it as 'disgusting crocodile tears.' Meanwhile, Gholamali Khoshroo, Iran's permanent representative to the UN, has sent a letter to the Secretary-General and UN officials complaining about what he termed 'Washington's blatant interference in Iran's internal affairs.' He wrote that Donald Trump and his Vice President, Mike Pence, are 'personally inciting chaos in Iran.' On Wednesday, Pence addressed the protesting youth in the streets of Iran, stating that in their quest for freedom and democracy, they should consider the United States their 'natural ally' and announced that the U.S. is ready to act in support of the protesters, utilizing 'all its economic weight' against the Iranian government.