The role was temporarily discontinued during Mohammad Khatami's presidency due to a relative improvement in Iran's human rights situation. However, it was reinstated in 2011 following the violent suppression of mass protests in 2009. The protests, also known as the Green Movement, were against disputed presidential election results.

Despite the Islamic Republic's initial conditions for cooperation – that the rapporteur be male, Muslim, and not from an Arab country – the government has consistently refused to engage with appointees. This pattern of non-cooperation continued with Ahmed Shaheed (2011-2016) and Javaid Rehman (2018-2024), neither of whom were permitted to visit Iran. Mai Sato brings her extensive experience in international human rights to her new role. With a doctorate in law and a background in academic research, Sato has focused on issues such as the death penalty, fair trial rights, and prisoner treatment. Her appointment came at a critical time, following periods of severe repression in Iran, including the crackdowns on anti-government protests of November 2019 and September 2022 and a significant increase in executions. [Iranwire23Jul2024]