Big picture:
The Srebrenica genocide was a horrific event in July 1995. Over 8,000 Bosniak Muslims were killed, and more than 20,000 civilians were expelled in an act of ethnic cleansing.
The massacre, a dark chapter of the Bosnian War, occurred after the Bosnian Serb army overran Srebrenica, which had been declared a safe area. This event remains one of the worst massacres in European history since World War II.
What he's saying:
In a statement posted on X, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote: “If the world had truly learned from the tragedy of Srebrenica, we wouldn’t be witnessing another genocide against Muslims, this time in Gaza.”
Araghchi called the genocide “a stain” on those who either enabled the atrocity or remained silent while thousands were killed.
He emphasized Iran’s continued support for oppressed people, stating, “Whether in Bosnia and Herzegovina or Palestine, Iran will stand with the oppressed.”
State of play:
The UN designated July 11 as the International Day of Remembrance for the Srebrenica Genocide, marking the massacre of over 8,000 Bosnian Muslims by Bosnian Serb forces.
Go deeper:
The Iranian foreign minister’s comments show a connection among historic Muslim tragedies to the last 21-month massacre in Gaza and Israeli aggression in Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, as well as the recent U.S.-supported and cooperated Israeli attacks on Iran.
Three decades after Srebrenica, Iran warns that the West is again failing to prevent mass atrocities, or there is an intentional silence.
Hossein Vaez
