Iran's IRGC commander hails Netanyahu ICC warrant as 'political death'
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General Salami welcomes the ICC's decision as a "great victory for the Palestinian and Lebanese Resistance movements."
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Chief of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps General Hossein Salami attends the funeral ceremony of the Guard's members, who were killed in an air strike in Syria, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, January 22, 2024. (AP)
The Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, General Hossein Salami, hailed the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Security Minister Yoav Gallant, describing the move as marking the "end and political death" of "Israel".
"This means the end and political death of the Zionist regime, a regime that today lives in absolute political isolation in the world, and its officials can no longer travel to other countries," Salami declared in a speech aired on Iranian state television.
The ICC issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Netanyahu and Gallant, citing accusations of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
In Iran's first official reaction, Salami welcomed the ICC's decision as a "great victory for the Palestinian and Lebanese Resistance movements." He also characterized the warrants as a pivotal step in holding the Israeli occupation accountable for its actions.
Netanyahu pulls out 'anti-Semitism' card
"Israel," however, dismissed the ICC's move as politically motivated, with Netanyahu denouncing it as antisemitic. The United States, the occupation's closest ally, also criticized the decision, while rights groups, including Amnesty International, expressed support for the court's action.
Netanyahu’s office stated, "Israel rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions leveled against it by ICC," asserting that the occupation government would not "give in to pressure."
Furthermore, the Israeli occupation's President Isaac Herzog accused the court of undermining justice, stating, "The decision chose the side of terrorism and evil over democracy and freedom and turned the international justice system itself into a human shield for Hamas' crimes against humanity."
In a similar tone, Israeli occupation Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized the move, calling it "a dark moment for the International Criminal Court" and arguing that the court had "lost all legitimacy" by issuing "absurd orders without authority."
The warrants come as the death toll from the Israeli genocidal war against the Gaza Strip surpassed 44,000 martyrs over 412 days.
The warrants theoretically restrict Netanyahu's international travel, as any of the ICC's 124 member states are obligated to arrest him upon entry. The court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, called on member nations and non-member states alike to uphold international law and act on the warrants.
US falls in line to defend Netanyahu
Netanyahu has previously dismissed the ICC prosecutor’s request in May for arrest warrants, describing it as "absurd and false" and a "distortion of reality."
Additionally, the court issued an arrest warrant for Hamas leader Mohammad Deif, citing charges of alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes.
It is noteworthy that in June, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that would, if enacted, revoke US visas for ICC officials, restrict their entry into the United States, and impose financial penalties on any ICC personnel involved in efforts to prosecute or detain US allies.
At the time, incumbent US President Joe Biden voiced strong opposition to the legislation, which passed with a 247-155 majority, including the support of 42 Democrats.
Senator John Thune, who is poised to become the Senate majority leader, said on Sunday that the United States must enact legislation imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) if it proceeds with issuing arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or other Israeli officials.
"If the ICC and its prosecutor do not reverse their outrageous and unlawful actions to pursue arrest warrants against Israeli officials, the Senate should immediately pass sanctions legislation, as the House has already done on a bipartisan basis,' he posted on X.
