She is the seventh special rapporteur to Iran, following the tenures of Andrés Aguilar (1984–1986), Reynaldo Galindo Pohl (1986–1995), Maurice Copithorne (1995–2002),[1][2] Ahmed Shaheed (2011–2016),[3] Asma Jilani Jahangir (2016–2018)[4] and Javaid Rehman (2018−2024).

On 22 April 2002, the UNCHR voted not to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, a decision condemned by Human Rights Watch (HRW)[10] and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

She was a human rights lawyer of Pakistani origin and a former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan.

[16] On 7 July 2018, Javaid Rehman was appointed as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In its 56th session on July 12, 2024, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Mai Sato, a Japanese academic, as the new special rapporteur of this international body on Iran.