The Foreign Minister officially registered New Zealand's condemnation of the Iranian regime in Parliament on Thursday, free to do so after two Kiwi influencers were safely ushered out of Iran.
But there are calls for the Government to go further still.
Forty days after the death of Mahsa Amini, thousands marched in her honour in Iran. The authorities cannot control the revolution.
The 22-year-old Kurdish woman died after being detained by the country's morality police for allegedly wearing an improper hijab. The death has sparked international outrage and support for the women of Iran.
New Zealand's response has been muted though, restrained because two Kiwis had been detained.
Bridget Thackwray and Topher Richwite - travel bloggers known as Expedition Earth on Instagram - went missing in Iran.
Newshub understands their movements were restricted and they required New Zealand Government assistance to get out.
It took months, but on Wednesday, they were set free and on Thursday, they released a statement.
"We are extremely relieved and happy to be back with our families," the pair said.
They called the dramatic diplomatic ordeal a "challenging chapter in our Expedition Earth journey."
The statement from the Instagrammers, who have 305,000 followers, went on to say: "We are safe and well, however, we would ask for privacy for ourselves and our families over the coming days."
There was no specific thanks directed at the officials who negotiated their freedom.
"I'm sure the couple will be reflecting on their experiences," said acting Prime Minister Grant Robertson.
Now the pair are free, the New Zealand Government is free to condemn Iran's regime.
"The use of violence in response to the expression of fundamental human rights by women or any other members of Iranian society is unacceptable," said Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta.
But that statement goes nowhere near where Iranian Kiwis Mahsa Marks and Samira Taghavi want the Government to go. They want the Government to cut diplomatic ties.
"This is a terrorist organisation. They are terrorising men, women and children. We cannot continue as a democratically-led country negotiating with terrorists," said Marks.
Mahuta settled with calling for an investigation.
"We call for a thorough, independent and prompt investigation of recent deaths of people in the custody of Iranian authorities, including the morality police."
While the Government is now free to criticise and ponder further moves to react to Iran's regime, they likely won't go as far as expelling the Iranian Ambassador because diplomacy has proven too valuable.
Eight-hundred New Zealanders were safely moved out of Afghanistan last year through Iran and had it not been for diplomacy, the Instagrammers may still be detained.
