Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to set up a tribunal to prosecute Israeli authorities for war crimes in the Gaza Strip.
Amir-Abdollahian made the appeal in a letter to the ICC chief prosecutor on Tuesday, emphasizing the need for the trial of the Israeli officials.
The top Iranian diplomat went on to say that the barbaric bombing of Gaza and the ground invasion by the Israeli regime are examples of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
He further urged the ICC to adhere to its legal obligations and fulfill its duties over prosecuting the perpetrators of such crimes.
Amir-Abdollahian also noted that the support of some countries for “the Zionist usurping regime” is the cause of Tel Aviv’s continued brutality and violence.
“Now is the time for the ICC to decide whether it wants to resist the pressure of some powers, or allow the brutalities committed by the occupying regime to remain unpunished,” he said, adding that this is a test of the Hague-based organization’s judicial independence and impartiality.
The Iranian foreign minister also stated that it is expected that the ICC avoids double-standards and does not allow the perpetrators of such crimes to go unpunished.
He concluded by saying that Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues its diplomatic, international, and legal activities in support of the oppressed people of Palestine.
Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime’s decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.
According to the Gaza-based health ministry, so far over 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes, most of them women and children.
Tel Aviv has also imposed a “complete siege” on Gaza, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.
