Kazem Gharibabadi, secretary of Iran's High Council for Human Rights. March 1, 2022
Iran says its judiciary will start the trial for all those involved in the killing of IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani, including Donald Trump and Mike Pompeo.
Addressing the 49th regular session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, the secretary of Iran's High Council for Human Rights described the targeted killing of Soleimani as a “human rights violation” and a “gift to the ISIS terrorist group”.
"The Iranian judiciary will soon begin prosecuting all those involved in this crime, especially Trump, Pompeo and [CENTCOM chief Kenneth Franklin] McKenzie", said Kazem Gharibabadi, who is also the judiciary chief’s deputy for international affairs.
Vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice, Iran says Soleimani was assassinated with the direct order of former US president Donald Trump and has also blacklisted and indicted dozens of American nationals for their role in the 2020 targeted killing the former commander of its Qods (Quds) force.
Gharibabadi also criticized the US sanctions imposed on Tehran as “economic terrorism” and added, "The United States, which acts as a global self-appointed police force, is violating all international rights and norms”.
He pointed out that “considering the costly consequences of sanctions, they should be viewed as a weapon and a means of aggression."
Without mentioning or explaining UN criticism of Iran's conduct, Gharibabadi said that other countries are using "human rights to exert pressure" on the Islamic Republic.