21 Sep 2022; MEMO: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said yesterday that Tehran is investigating the death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody, and rejected American calls for accountability, Anadolu news agency reported.
In a post on Twitter, Abdollahian described Mahsa Amini's death as "tragic" and said she was "just like our own daughters".
The minister strongly rejected the White House statement "demanding that Iranian officials be held accountable for such human rights violations."
"Instead of shedding crocodile tears, the United States should end economic terrorism," Abdollahian wrote, adding that human rights are of "inherent value" for Iran, "unlike those who use it as a tool against adversaries."
On Monday evening, the White House described Amini's death as an "appalling and egregious affront to human rights".
American media outlets, including the Associated Press, quoted the White House spokesman National Security Council as saying that "the United States is demanding accountability for the death of the 22-year-old woman after she was arrested in Tehran, a few days ago."
Amini died last Friday, after she was arrested on Tuesday by the so-called "morality police", which monitors women's dress code in the country.
The incident sparked public anger and protests erupted across the country.
