Iran lambasts US for threatening ICC with sanctions over 'Israel'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
18 May 2024 20:55
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The Iranian government spokesman says the arbitrary actions of Western states have hindered the progress and effectiveness of international law.

Exterior view of the International Criminal Court, or ICC, in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, April 30, 2024 (AP)

Iranian government spokesperson Ali Bahadori Jahromi lashed out at US lawmakers for granting immunity to Israeli officials amid reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) was preparing to issue arrest warrants to members of the Israeli government, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over the war on the Gaza Strip.

Bahadori Jahromi pointed out on Friday that certain Western countries blatantly violate international law, exploiting its weaknesses. He added that the arbitrary actions of Western states have hindered the progress and effectiveness of international law.

The Iranian spokesperson highlighted that the ongoing Israeli massacres against women and children, attacks on residential areas, medical centers, and even UN camps over the past seven months, reveal the true stance of some Western countries on human rights.

Bahadori Jahromi stressed that these actions demonstrate the ineffectiveness of international law in preventing such atrocities.

His remarks come after the US-based news website Axios revealed that House Republicans are drafting a bill aimed at imposing sanctions on ICC officials as a "precaution" in response to the possibility of arrest warrants being issued for Israeli officials over war crimes in Gaza.

Reportedly, the names of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Security Minister Yoav Gallant, and Israeli Army chief Herzi Halevi have been circled as suspects of war crimes that the ICC will look to prosecute and issue arrest warrants against.

Bipartisan Congress members have warned the court that it will face consequences from the United States if it moves forward with the process.

Karim Khan, chief prosecutor of the ICC, has received a stern warning from 12 Republican senators, threatening him with "severe sanctions" if he issues international arrest warrants for Israeli officials, the news website Zeteo reported.

Khan was warned that any attempt by the ICC to hold Netanyahu and his officials accountable for their crimes in Gaza would be interpreted "not only as a threat to Israel's sovereignty but to the sovereignty of the United States."

"Target Israel and we will target you," the senators threatened, citing sanctions on Khan's employees and his associates, adding that they and their families would be "barred from the United States."

"You have been warned," the letter brazenly stated.