Iran FM urges intl. community to prevent normalization of Israeli genocide, crimes

Araghchi made the remarks on Monday in a virtual extraordinary meeting of the top diplomats of the Group of Friends of the United Nations Charter to discuss the humanitarian situation in occupied Palestine.

He warned about the further erosion of the credibility of the UN due to its continued inaction and passivity in the face of the genocide and widespread aggressions by the Zionist regime.

Araghchi described the 14-month-long genocide in Gaza as a continuation of the 80-year-old “colonial extermination” plan.

He asserted that stopping the genocide in Gaza and ending Israeli aggression against Lebanon requires a global coalition to hold accountable and prosecute the leaders of this regime, as well as to sanction its military, financial, and political supporters, especially the United States.

Araghchi characterized the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and the regime’s former war minister Gallant as a necessary but belated step towards justice.

He called for serious action from the international community to enforce these warrants.

He also highlighted how the Israeli regime and its supporters misuse the concept of “anti-Semitism” to silence any criticism against Israel.

The foreign minister reminded that all states have a legal obligation under international law to assist the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people against occupation and apartheid for their right to self-determination.

He stated that citing “self-defense” by the occupying regime for attacking Palestinians and killing women and children while destroying Gaza’s infrastructure is completely unacceptable, and that the regime has no right to claim such an entitlement against a people under occupation.

Araghchi reiterated the shared responsibility of the international community to stop genocide and killings of innocents in Palestine and Lebanon, emphasizing that safeguarding the UN Charter and its lofty principles requires effective collective action to end crimes and killings and to prosecute and punish leaders of the Israeli regime.