Department Press Briefing - December 6, 2022 - United States Department of State

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

69% : We have encouraged, we will continue to encourage, the Indian Government to uphold its commitments to protect religious freedom for all, and we engage officials regularly on steps they can take to advance religious freedom.
55% : This is about religious freedom in South Asia.
55% : Our Annual Report on International Religions Freedom outlines some of the concerns we've taken note of when it comes to India, and we continue to carefully monitor the religious freedom situation in all countries and that includes in India.
51% : Of course, for any questions regarding U.S. law enforcement actions we'd have to refer you to the Department of Justice and the FBI.
50% : So can you share anything on the U.S. draft resolution to oust Iran from the CSW?
49% : This is the third year in a row that U.S. commission on religious freedom and other organizations asking, requesting, and demanding U.S. State Department include India into CPC countries.
49% : On Iran, you were talking about the nuclear program.
49% : What we're focused on now is ways we can support the protesters across Iran, support their ability to exercise their universal human rights, and hold to account those Iranian officials who are responsible for the brutal repression, who are responsible for efforts to cut off the Iranian people from the rest of the world, including their ability to communicate with the rest of the world and with Iranians themselves.
48% : We continue to believe that diplomacy offers the most effective way to ensure that we can fulfill this solemn commitment that Iran will be permanently and verifiably barred once again from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
47% : So, yes, we will continue to stand up for, to stand with the people of Iran who are exercising those universal rights, just as we do to peaceful protesters around the world.
47% : Our position, the position of the international community, is unequivocal: Women in Iran should be free from restricted dress codes, violence, and harassment.
46% : I just wanted to follow up on Iran, if you have any update on the alleged disbanding of the moral police.
45% : The people of Iran should be able to peacefully express themselves however they wish - free from intimidation, free from violence at the hands of the state.
44% : Secretary Blinken, given the totality of the facts and the circumstances, determined that religious freedom concerns in India do not warrant a Country of Particular Concern designation or placement on the Special Watch List.
44% : So, on your first question, this goes back to early last month when Vice President Harris outlined our intention to work with partners around the world to remove Iran as a member of the Commission on the Status of Women.
44% : Iran will not be in a position to garner any additional leverage by these provocative actions that it has taken.
44% : Our focus, for that reason, is on practical ways to confront Iran in these areas right now.
42% : We already know that Iran has a substantial amount of highly enriched uranium for which it has no credible civilian use, and which could be further enriched to weapons grade should Iran decide to do so.
42% : In the midst of what we're seeing in Iran, on the part of the brave Iranian people - especially its women and girls, we've made very clear of late that the JCPOA talks are not on the agenda right now.
40% : Some are saying that Iran has started their military nuclear program.
36% : I say "once again" because, prior to the last administration's abandonment of the JCPOA, Iran was in fact permanently and verifiably barred from doing the types of things that are of concern once again.
35% : Yeah, but Ned, IAEA has no eyes in Iran, so you really cannot make sure of that.
34% : We are committed to removing Iran from the commission because it is, simply put, the right thing to do.
34% : We know that Iran is killing its young people.
31% : President Biden has made a very solemn commitment to the fact that Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon.
26% : But we can do all of those things while upholding the commitment that President Biden has made - namely, that Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon.
24% : It shows that we stand with women in Iran and around the world, including from a variety of civil society groups that have led this push who are asking for Iran to be removed from the Commission on the Status of Women because of Tehran's very egregious actions against Iran's women and girls.

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