The United States has warned Iran against issuing death sentences for antigovernment protesters saying that the Iranian regime should know the world is watching.

US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said during a briefing on Tuesday that the “draconian” sentences are meant to scare people and dissent.

“Unfortunately, this is just really the latest tactic that we’ve seen from the Iranian regime…[against] individuals who are exercising their universal rights. These sentences, we know, are meant to intimidate people, to suppress dissent. They are – they simply underscore Iran’s leadership’s fears of its own people and the fact that Iran’s government fears the truth,” stated Price.

Iran's Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei said Monday the death sentences for several protesters have been confirmed and will be executed soon.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Price talked about Iran’s removal as a member of the UN Commission on the Status of Women saying that Washington is committed to removing Iran from the commission.

“It’s the proper thing to do. 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…because of Tehran’s very egregious actions against Iran’s women and girls,” he underlined.

The resolution will be taken up on December 14th, added Price, reiterating that the US will continue to work with its allies and partners to generate support with members of the UN Economic and Social Council for the proposed action.