(Bloomberg) -- New Zealand officials met with Iran’s ambassador in Wellington to express the nation’s concerns over the treatment of women, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

“I’ve been deeply concerned to see the loss of life and, of course, just generally what we would consider to be human rights issues as they relate to women and girls,” Ardern said at a news conference Monday. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade met on Friday with Iran’s ambassador to raise directly the concerns that New Zealand has.”

Protests have roiled towns and cities across Iran in recent weeks amid anger sparked by the case of a young woman who died in police custody. Mahsa Amini, 22, fell into a coma and died after being detained by “morality police” last month because of how she was dressed.

Police have rounded up thousands of people across Iran, while dozens of protesters have been killed in clashes with security forces since the demonstrations began in mid September. Authorities are also targeting journalists who first wrote about the death.

Ardern said the meeting “was an opportunity for New Zealand to put directly our concerns, put directly the view of the need for restraint and the importance of the rights of women and girls. We are very clear on where we stand as a nation.”

©2022 Bloomberg L.P.