Amir Saeid Iravani, the head of the Iranian mission to the United Nations, has asserted Iran's right to pursue the case of the 2020 assassination of General Qassem Soleimani by the US government. In a letter addressed to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Iravani emphasized that Iran would employ legal means to hold accountable those responsible for the drone strike that killed the then-commander of the Quds Force. He declared Iran's legitimate right under international law to seek justice for the "reprehensible act of terrorism."
Iravani accused the United States of breaching its international obligations with the "cowardly assassination" of General Soleimani, considering it a blatant violation of international law. He pointed to the involvement of the Israeli regime, citing statements from former Israeli intelligence officials, and alleged the use of the Ramstein Airbase in Germany for the operation. In his published letter, Iravani asserted that all parties assisting in any manner, directly or indirectly, shared responsibility for the terrorist act.
In a subsequent development, Iran sent a second official notice to the United States, initiating arbitration over General Soleimani's assassination. The Iranian Foreign Ministry also communicated with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), affirming its commitment to continuing efforts to bring the perpetrators and abettors to justice. The letter to the OHCHR emphasized that the assassination violated international humanitarian law by eliminating a significant figure in the regional fight against terrorism.
