Araghchi made the remarks during an address at a virtual meeting of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations on Monday. The meeting focused on the alarming humanitarian situation in Gaza and the Israeli crimes against Palestinians.
Iran’s top diplomat warned that the credibility of the United Nations is increasingly at risk due to its inaction in the face of genocide and aggression by the Israeli regime. “The international community must not allow the violations and aggression of the Israeli regime to become normalized,” he insisted.
Araghchi characterized the genocide of Palestinians over the past 14 months as a continuation of an 80-year colonial extermination plan pursued by the Zionist regime, which he said has manifested in the expanding occupation of Palestinian territory and the imposition of “apartheid” on the native population.
He called for a global coalition to hold the Israeli leadership accountable, as well as their prosecution and punishment, along with their military and financial supporters, particularly the United States.
Araghchi described the arrest warrant recently issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former war minister Yoav Gallant as necessary but overdue step towards justice. He urged the international community to take these warrants seriously and act upon them.
Additionally, he condemned the Israeli regime’s exploitation of the term “anti-Semitism” to stifle any criticism of its actions.
Araghchi called on the UN Secretary-General to regularly report to the Security Council and the General Assembly on the humanitarian situation in Palestine, including by documenting violations of humanitarian law such as war crimes and genocide for submission to national courts and international tribunals.