Ebrahim Raeisi made the remark while addressing a Cabinet session on Sunday. He was referring to Joe Biden’s statements during his visit to the occupied territories earlier this month, when he noted, “I have long said: If Israel didn’t exist, we would have to invent it.”
Describing Biden’s remarks as “reactionary, anti-democratic, and inhuman,” the Iranian president said, “Such statements amount to unwanted admission of the fake nature of the usurping Zionist regime.”
Raeisi added, “The Americans must answer this question: Which international law, agreement or regulations are compatible with such remarks?”
The Israeli regime claimed existence in 1948, after occupying huge swathes of Palestinian territories during a Western-backed war. It occupied more land in another war in 1967. Ever since, it has built hundreds of illegal settlements on the occupied territories, imposed the most aggressive restrictions on the movements of Palestinian people, and waged near-daily violent attacks against them.
The regime has, however, invariably evaded accountability for its crimes thanks to unbridled political support from the United States, its biggest and oldest ally, which has consistently used its veto power to strike down anti-Tel Aviv resolutions at the United Nations Security Council.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Raeisi said Biden’s comments also serve as a “warning” to Muslim states in the region, adding, “Such remarks are indicative of the fact that for the United States, preserving the Zionist regime is considerably more important than [protecting] the lives of human beings, especially women and children.”
The Iranian president’s remarks came on the 16th day of a barbaric onslaught by the Israeli regime against the Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, which has so far killed more than 4,700 Gazans and left more than 15,000 others injured.
“Today, the question posed to governments, world powers, and international organizations by the people of the world is how they can allow an arrogant regime [like Israel] to kill the oppressed women and children of Palestine in such a barbaric and bloody manner with the US support right in front of their eyes,” Raeisi said.
He added, “What is happening in Gaza against the oppressed people of this region is a clear example of war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Stressing the necessity of bringing to justice the “criminal leaders of the US and Zionist regime as the main perpetrators and supporters of these crimes,” Iran’s President said, “We are certain that the unjustly-spilt blood of the oppressed people of Gaza will speed up the fall of the Zionist regime and liberation of the Holy al-Quds.”
MP/PressTV
