Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi has called on the international community to condemn the killing of IRGC commander Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, warning that the “terrorist and criminal act” would have grave consequences.
“Bearing in mind the dangerous consequences of such terrorist acts on international peace and security, the international community should strongly condemn such brutal assassinations targeting innocent citizens of other countries by well-known state terrorism of certain regimes”, Takht-Ravanchi said in an appeal directed to UN chief Antonio Guterres.
The Iranian diplomat warned that “inaction and silence in the face of such a provocative and norm-breaking act will only encourage and embolden its perpetrators and their accomplices to continue their disgraceful and wrong acts”.
He added that condemning “this atrocious act” was part of the UN’s responsibilities in fighting terrorism.
Takht-Ravanchi suggested that Khodaei’s murder was in line with the “systematic assassinations of innocent Iranian citizens and scientists by certain regimes”, and called the killing a violation of the UN Charter and international law.
“We will use all available mechanisms to hold the perpetrators of this terrorist crime and their supporters accountable”, the ambassador promised.
Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, a colonel in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, was shot to death in his car in Tehran on Sunday. Iranian authorities opened an investigation into the incident, with President Ebrahim Raisi vowing “definite revenge”.
