United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday as Iranians detained in connection with January's nationwide protests continue to face prison sentences, alleged torture and a growing number of death sentences and executions.The UN readout of the meeting, held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, said Guterres raised the humanitarian and economic consequences of the conflict involving Iran and stressed the need for diplomacy and respect for international law. The readout made no mention of Iran's treatment of protesters, executions or allegations of torture.Asked by Fox News Digital at Tuesday's UN briefing whether Guterres raised those issues directly with Pezeshkian, and if so, why they were not included in the readout, the secretary-general's spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said he had "nothing to add to the readout."'KILLING OFF THE COUNTRY': IRAN EXECUTES DOZENS, ARRESTS 4,000-PLUS IN WAR CRACKDOWNIranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (L) shakes hands with the United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres during the UN's General Assembly on September 25, 2025, in New York City.(Spencer Platt/Getty Images)But Dujarric said Guterres had raised the issues with senior Iranian officials in other meetings."I can tell you that in other meetings with senior Iranian leaders, in New York and other places, the Secretary-General has raised those issues directly," Dujarric said.
"We have, from this podium, on behalf of the Secretary-General, condemned in no uncertain terms the use of the death penalty in Iran, as we stand against the death penalty in every country."The exchange comes as human rights organizations report that Tehran's crackdown has continued months after the January demonstrations.Iran International reported Aug.7, citing rights groups, that more than 60,000 people were detained across Iran following the protests, while some independent sources put the nu...