Protests show ‘another path’ possible for Iran: Britain's foreign secretary

 Britain’s top diplomat called on Iran’s leadership to choose “another path” as protests grip the Islamic country after the death of a 22-year-old woman arrested by the morality police.

Foreign Secretary of Britain, James Cleverly, said at the United Nations, “The Iranian leadership should notice that the people are unhappy with the direction that they have taken.”

He reportedly said, “A different path is possible for the Islamic Republic of Iran. The path that we want Iran to take and that is the path that will see them with a stronger economy and a happy society.”

Several non-governmental groups have said that at least eight protesters have been killed in the Islamic nation in several days of unrest after the death of Mahsa Amini, who was killed by the morality police. 

According to human rights groups, she died after being arrested by the morality police, who are responsible for enforcing the Islamic republic’s strict dress code, including headscarves, for women.

The U.N. Human Rights Office said that Iran's morality police have targeted women for not properly wearing the Islamic headscarf, also known as Hijab. The UN also said that verified videos showed women being tortured and thrown into police vans for wearing their Hijabs loosely. Nada Al-Nashif, the acting U.N. high commissioner for human rights, also called for an investigation on this matter. 

The United States, which is trying to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, also condemned the woman’s death and demanded justice for her. Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, rejected the criticism by the U.S. authorities over the death of the woman.

The protest in Iran comes as Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, visits New York for the UN General Assembly, where Western leaders are pressing the president to accept the European Union-brokered revival of the 2015 nuclear accord, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.