Khamenei Calls for Death Sentence, Not Just Arrest Warrant, for Israeli PM Netanyahu.
In a scathing response to the recent International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has demanded a more severe punishment – a death sentence.
Khamenei’s remarks, made during a speech to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) personnel, come just days after the ICC charged Netanyahu and Gallant with war crimes and crimes against humanity for their actions in the Gaza Strip.
“What the Zionists did is a war crime. They issued an arrest warrant for him [Netanyahu]. This is not enough. A death sentence for Netanyahu must be issued. Death sentences for these criminal leaders must be issued,” Khamenei said in Persian, according to the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency.
The Iranian leader’s call for a death sentence reflects the deep-seated animosity between Iran and Israel, which Tehran considers a “fundamental enemy” along with the United States.
Iran has long been committed to the destruction of Israel and has supported a vast network of anti-Israel armed groups across the region, known as the ‘Axis of Resistance’.
Khamenei went on to say that the IRGC will “finally destroy the Zionist regime in one day”, further highlighting Iran’s unwavering stance against Israel. He also claimed that Israel’s actions, such as “bombing people’s homes in Gaza and Lebanon”, have only served to strengthen the Iranian-sponsored Axis of Resistance.
“The crimes of the Zionist regime, both in Lebanon, Gaza, and Palestine, are the opposite of what they want, that is, they strengthen and intensify the resistance. This is a general rule. It has no going back,” Khamenei asserted.
While Khamenei’s remarks focused on the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, he did not comment on the ICC’s decision to also issue a warrant for the Hamas military chief, Mohammed Deif, for his alleged involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 2023 conflict.
The ICC’s charges against the Israeli and Palestinian leaders have further escalated the tensions in the region, with Iran now calling for the most severe punishment possible for its perceived enemies in Israel.
