ICC arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant hailed by Iran foreign ministry spokesman
TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei welcomed the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former War Minister Yoav Gallant.
In a Friday night post on X, Baqaei declared, “Fourteen long months into the occupying regime’s genocidal campaign in Gaza, marked by the most harrowing atrocities, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I finally issued arrest warrants for the two top criminals Netanyahu and Gallant. Of course, their indictment should have included ‘genocide’ which is manifest.”
Baqaei said the warrants were a positive step towards justice. “We welcome any step to serve justice and end the Israeli regime’s impunity for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed in occupied Palestine and elsewhere,” he stated.
He directly attributed the delay in holding Israel accountable to the United States. “Chronic procrastination in holding Israel accountable – mainly due to the US’s covert and overt obstructions and bullying – has allowed atrocity crimes to persist in occupied Palestine,” Baqaei added.
The spokesperson emphasized the importance of immediate action. “Full and immediate implementation of these arrest warrants will test the effectiveness of the international criminal justice,” Baqaei stated, expressing a cautious optimism while voicing concern that the process could be manipulated. “Hope this late decision would not be manipulated through abuse of process.”