Iran first applied for a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council, but quickly abandoned that bid after realizing there could be major opposition from human rights advocates because of its repressive rule.

However, it then applied for a seat on the Commission on the Status of Woman, which is dedicated to women’s rights, equality and their advancement in society. Shockingly, the U.N. agreed to Iran’s membership in that commission for a four-year term, which requires no open votes by its member states.

Now why the U.N., the body that not only needs to insure peace and security, but also to protect the human rights of people across the globe, agreed to such, is beyond all reason!

Iran’s reputation for mistreating women is well-known and documented.  The U.N. itself has repeatedly named Iran as a violator of human rights, particularly those of women. A simple look at how Iran’s radical rulers treat women should have led to a denial of such a request.

This announcement comes just a week after a senior cleric in Iran declared that women, who wear revealing clothes, cause earthquakes, “Many women who do not dress modestly … lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes,” said the respected cleric, Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi.

Perhaps a reminder of how the Islamic government in Iran treats women is in order:

• Any woman not adhering to the strict Islamic dress code in Iran is taken in by the security forces and lashed for disobeying the orders. The sentence sometimes calls for 100 lashes. Most women cannot bear the pain and often faint during the procedure — the psychological effect and scars last a lifetime.

• Tehran’s Police Chief, Brig Hossien Sajedinia recently announced that suntanned women will be arrested under the Islamic dress code for violating the spirit of the Islamic law by allowing the sun to touch their bodies!

• Women who participate in any activity opposing the regime are taken to Evin prison, where they are tortured physically and mentally, and many of them raped as part of their punishment.

• If a woman or teenager is sentenced to death on the charges of opposing the regime and believed to be a virgin, they are raped in order to deny them heaven, since virgins can go to heaven under Islamic belief.

• Women charged with adultery are buried up to their waist and stoned to death. This cruel practice is still carried out in Iran today.

• Wives do not have any right to inheritance, child custody, divorce and, at times, have to deal with husbands who want to have more than one wife as Islam allows a man to have up to four wives.

The list is too long to mention here, but for women, almost every human right is violated by Iran’s fanatical regime.

Yet Iran is allowed to hold a commission seat on the very issue they violate so openly.

The U.N. deserves a black eye for this one. This is an offense that flies in the face of decency and should be a major concern for everyone.

Iranian women won’t soon forget this. The U.N. should listen to the screams of those in Evin prison calling for justice. It should listen to the prayers of the mothers who have lost those dearest to them because of this brutal regime. When those mothers speak out, they are subjected to beating, arrest and intimidation.

Ever since the Revolution, Iranian women have struggled for freedom and have bravely denied this evil regime the satisfaction of obeying its unjust rules. They will never give in and, one day soon, freedom will be upon them. We should be all very proud of them and support them in their fight.

The U.N. should hang its head in shame!