New York: The United States will abstain from participating in a United Nations tribute honoring Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash earlier this month, as confirmed by a U.S. official.
Traditionally, the 193-member U.N. General Assembly convenes to pay respects to any world leader who was serving as head of state at the time of their passing. The tribute for Raisi will include speeches commemorating his legacy.
“We won’t attend this event in any capacity,” stated a U.S. official, requesting anonymity, as reported by the international news agency Reuters. This decision to boycott has not been previously disclosed.
Raisi, a staunch hardliner and a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, met his untimely demise when his helicopter crashed in inclement weather near the Azerbaijan border on May 19.
“The United Nations should stand in solidarity with the people of Iran, rather than commemorating their oppressor of decades,” emphasized the U.S. official. “Raisi was directly implicated in numerous egregious human rights violations, including the extrajudicial executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.”
Highlighting the severity of Raisi’s human rights record, the official added, “Some of the most heinous human rights abuses in history, particularly against Iranian women and girls, occurred during his tenure.”
In a separate gesture, the U.N. Security Council observed a moment of silence at the outset of an unrelated meeting on May 20 to honor the victims of the helicopter crash. Despite reservations, Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood joined his counterparts in the solemn tribute.
While extending “official condolences” for Raisi’s demise, the State Department conveyed on May 20 that the administration acknowledged the loss. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby remarked, “No question this was a man who had a lot of blood on his hands.”
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However, the Biden administration faced criticism from some Republican lawmakers for extending condolences to Iran following Raisi’s death.
Raisi, aged 63, assumed the presidency in 2021 and implemented stringent morality laws, orchestrated a brutal crackdown on dissenting voices, and played a prominent role in nuclear negotiations with global powers during his tenure.
