Iran FM calls for prosecution of Israeli leaders for “war crimes” in Gaza, West Bank

Hossein Amirabdollahin, in a speech at the annual meeting of the foreign ministers of the Caspian Sea littoral states in Moscow on Tuesday, said, “The war criminals within the Israeli regime must face trial and subsequent punishment in an international court.”

Amirabollahian added, “The Islamic Republic of Iran, in adherence to customary practices, international law, and United Nations resolutions, acknowledges the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to resist occupation.”

Reaffirming that Iran recognizes Hamas as a Palestinian liberation organization, the top Iranian diplomat added, “Iran underscores the imperative of exercising the right to self-determination and establishing a Palestinian state with the holy Quds as its capital and the return of the displaced Palestinians.”

He also called for ceasing the export of goods and energy to Israel saying a boycott of Israeli-made products is the minimum action to display solidarity with the people of Gaza and the West Bank.

Amirabdollahiam said, coordinated and effective measures must be taken to activate all available pressure mechanisms, aiming to promptly halt the assaults by the Israeli army on Gaza, facilitate the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to this region, lift the blockade of Gaza, and stand against any perilous policies enforcing the displacement of the people.

More than 16,000 Palestinians, including 10,000 women and children, have been killed in the Israeli military campaign in Gaza since October 7.

In other comments, the Iranian foreign minister underscored the need for a unified stance among the Caspian Sea littoral states to tackle the regional challenges.

Referring to the convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea, Amirabdollahian said the compilation and implementation of several cooperation documents involving all five nations in the Caspian Sea hinge upon reaching an agreement on demarcation lines.

He also urged the Caspian Sea states to promptly tackle challenges and threats facing the sea, particularly the decreasing water level of the Caspian.