Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "shocked" by reports of the Iranian regime's violence and extreme use of force against protesters in the country, his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said in a Sunday statement.
"The Secretary-General is shocked by the reports of violence and excessive use of force by the Iranian authorities against protesters in multiple locations across the Islamic Republic of Iran, resulting in scores of deaths and many more injuries in recent days," Dujarric stated.
Dujarric added that every Iranian should be allowed to exercise their right to freedom of expression, as laid out in international law, without being harmed.
"The secretary-general urges the Iranian authorities to exercise maximum restraint and to refrain from unnecessary or disproportionate use of force," the statement added. "He further urges steps that enable access to information in the country, including restoring communications."
The protests in the Islamic Republic escalated over the past few days, turning even deadlier.
Reports suggest at least 2,000 killed in Iran protests
Estimates from over the weekend suggest that at least 2,000 people have killed in recent days, although the true number is unknown.
Previously, on Friday, Iran told the United Nations Security Council that the United States was responsible for “the transformation of peaceful protests into violent, subversive acts and widespread vandalism.”
The protests began late last month in response to the country's poor economic conditions, before escalating to also express opposition to the regime's rule.