UANI Condemns UN General Assembly’s Commemoration For The ‘Butcher of Tehran’

(New York, NY) – In light of the UN General Assembly’s plenary meeting on Thursday to pay tribute to the Iranian regime’s late President Ebrahim Raisi, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI)’s CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace issued the following statement: 

“UANI condemns the UN General Assembly’s commemoration of Ebrahim Raisi, a man who is known as the ‘Butcher of Tehran.’ No international organization or government should be expressing condolences for a man whose career was drenched in the blood of the Iranian people. UANI calls on the U.S. government and its allies to stage a walkout in protest of Thursday’s meeting.”

UANI’s Advisor on Iranian Human Rights and LGBTQI+ Issues Omid Iravanipour said:

“The United Nations showcases its commitment to promoting “fair and equal”—but not criminalized—treatment for the LGBTQI+ community. It says, “the issue is receiving unprecedented attention at the inter-governmental level.” At the same time, however, it is honoring the memory of Raisi, a man who presided over some of the most repressive institutions in the Islamic Republic—for example its judiciary—targeting LGBTQI+ individuals.

“Raisi once called homosexuality “one of the dirtiest things which have been done in human history.” He endorsed an anti-LGBTQI+ bill in Uganda, which shows the Islamic Republic’s desire to export this discrimination beyond its borders. It is a disgrace that the UN General Assembly is memorializing a man with this record who was a walking violation of the UN Charter. He is beneath the dignity of any diplomatic protocol.”

To read UANI’s profile on Ebrahim Raisi, click here.

To read an opinion piece by UANI’s Director of Outreach and Human Rights Alan Goldsmith condemning world leaders for offering condolences for Ebrahim Raisi’s death, click here.