Iran Claims U.S. ICC Sanctions Grant Israel ‘Total’ Immunity for Criminal Actions

In a recent statement, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei criticized the United States’ decision to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), asserting that this move aims to provide Israel with full impunity for its actions in Palestine. The sanctions come in the wake of arrest warrants issued by the ICC for Israeli officials, raising significant concerns about the implications for international law and justice.

On Friday night, Baghaei took to the X social media platform to express his views following U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order that targets the ICC. This order, signed a day earlier, was described by Trump as an effort to combat what he termed “baseless” warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former war minister Yoav Gallant, related to alleged war crimes during the Gaza conflict.

Key points from Baghaei’s statement include:

• The U.S. sanctions are a significant indicator of complicity in what he referred to as Israel’s “colonial erasure” of Palestine.
• He condemned the sanctions as a “new low” in U.S. involvement with an “occupying apartheid regime.”
• Baghaei characterized the sanctions as an egregious abuse of power that undermines international peace and security.
• The spokesperson urged the international community to “beware and react accordingly” to such actions.

Moreover, a report from Reuters highlighted that a coalition of 80 countries expressed their “unwavering support” for the ICC, which is based in The Hague, Netherlands. The ICC is recognized as the only permanent court for prosecuting serious crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

In response to the sanctions, the ICC reaffirmed its commitment to justice, emphasizing that it will continue its work despite external pressures.