The decision follows mounting international concern over reports of violence, widespread arrests, and an intensified crackdown on protesters across the country, as Iran continues to grapple with sustained internal unrest.

The special session was requested by a group of European countries including Britain, Germany, Iceland, Moldova and North Macedonia.

In a formal letter to the council’s president, the states cited credible reports pointing to alarming levels of violence against civilians, excessive use of force by security agencies, and serious violations of international human rights law.

Their request gained the backing of more than one-third of the council’s 47 members, meeting the threshold required to trigger an emergency meeting.

Diplomats in Geneva say the move reflects growing frustration within the international community over Iran’s response to anti-government demonstrations that have spread across multiple cities.

Protesters have raised grievances ranging from political repression and economic hardship to social freedoms, prompting a forceful response from authorities that has drawn criticism from rights groups and foreign governments.

The UN Human Rights Council session comes shortly after the UN Security Council in New York held discussions on Iran, underscoring the seriousness with which the situation is now being viewed at the highest levels of the United Nations.

While the Security Council meeting focused on broader regional stability and security implications, the Geneva session will concentrate specifically on human rights conditions inside the country.

Adding to the tense atmosphere, Iran’s national security parliamentary commission issued a strongly worded statement warning that any attack on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be considered an act triggering a declaration of holy war.

According to Iranian state-linked media, the commission said such an act would amount to war with the entire Islamic world and would require a formal decree of jihad by Islamic scholars, followed by a response from what it described as Islam’s defenders worldwide.

Analysts say the rhetoric reflects heightened sensitivity within Iran’s political establishment as protests persist and international scrutiny increases.

While Iranian officials have repeatedly framed demonstrations as foreign-instigated unrest, critics argue that the scale and persistence of protests indicate deep-rooted domestic dissatisfaction that cannot be dismissed as external interference.

Human rights organizations have documented allegations of mass detentions, internet restrictions, harsh sentencing, and the use of lethal force against demonstrators. Families of detainees and victims have also reported intimidation and lack of due process, raising concerns about transparency and accountability within Iran’s judicial and security systems.

The upcoming council session is expected to feature statements from UN officials, independent experts, and member states, with possible calls for investigations, monitoring mechanisms, or renewed mandates for special rapporteurs.

Although the Human Rights Council does not have enforcement powers, its sessions often play a significant role in shaping international opinion and increasing diplomatic pressure on governments accused of abuses.

Iran, for its part, has historically rejected what it calls politicized scrutiny of its internal affairs and has accused Western countries of double standards.

Tehran is likely to push back strongly against the special session, arguing that it violates national sovereignty and ignores what it describes as legitimate security concerns.

Despite these objections, diplomats say the urgency of the meeting reflects fears that the situation inside Iran could further deteriorate without international attention.

With protests ongoing and rhetoric escalating, the council’s deliberations on Friday are likely to be closely watched by governments, activists, and observers across the Middle East and beyond.

The outcome of the session may not immediately change conditions on the ground, but it signals that Iran’s human rights record has once again moved to the forefront of the global agenda.

For many Iranians, the meeting represents a rare moment of international focus on their demands and the risks they face in expressing them.

The unrest, which erupted in late December, rapidly spread from demonstrations over the falling value of the currency into widespread calls for an end to clerical rule, marking the most severe challenge to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution.

According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the death toll includes around 500 members of Iran’s security forces.

Authorities have accused what they describe as “armed rioters and terrorists” of killing civilians and security personnel alike, while insisting that the verified figures are unlikely to rise sharply.

Independent rights groups, however, have reported lower but still significant death tolls and tens of thousands of arrests, highlighting the difficulty of verifying information amid internet blackouts and restrictions on reporting.

The situation has taken a more alarming turn after Iran’s judiciary indicated that executions of detained protesters could proceed.

Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir said some acts committed during the unrest were classified as Mohareb, a term under Islamic law meaning waging war against God, which carries the death penalty.

The comments have intensified international concern and fears of a harsher crackdown as authorities seek to consolidate control following weeks of violence.

US President Donald Trump has warned that Washington could intervene if mass executions go ahead. In recent days, Trump claimed Iranian leaders had paused the execution of hundreds of detainees, though Tehran has not officially confirmed this.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected US pressure, accusing Washington of supporting unrest and branding Trump a criminal for what he described as American-backed casualties inflicted on Iran.

Khamenei acknowledged that several thousand people had died but blamed foreign-backed groups, including the US and Israel, for fueling violence.

Iranian officials have repeatedly pointed to alleged external interference, a narrative the clerical establishment has long used during periods of unrest.

Israel, a long-standing adversary of Iran, launched military strikes against Iranian targets earlier in the year, further escalating regional tensions and shaping Tehran’s response to domestic instability.

Some of the most intense clashes and highest death tolls were reported in Iran’s Kurdish مناطق in the northwest, where separatist groups have historically clashed with central authorities.

Rights groups and residents say security forces used live ammunition in these areas, while officials allege armed groups attempted to exploit the unrest by crossing borders and attacking civilians.

Witness accounts describe chaotic scenes of burning buildings, gunfire, and violent confrontations between protesters and security forces.

Despite the scale of the violence, state media and residents suggest the crackdown has largely quelled street protests for now.

Internet blackouts, imposed to curb the spread of information and coordination, have been intermittently lifted and reimposed, leaving families inside and outside Iran struggling to communicate.

For many Iranians, the unrest has left deep scars and uncertainty over what comes next, particularly as the judiciary signals that severe punishments may still be imposed.

The crisis has placed Iran at the center of global attention once again. Its outcome could reshape both domestic politics and regional stability.