Why it matters:
The remarks come amid growing calls for accountability over Israel’s months-long assault on Gaza, which has left tens of thousands dead—mostly women and children—and reduced much of the enclave’s infrastructure to rubble.
Driving the news:
Iran’s Deputy Parliament Speaker Hamidreza Haji Babaei has called on the international community to identify and prosecute those responsible for war crimes and genocide in Gaza, stressing that any ceasefire or temporary truce must not come at the cost of justice.
He made the remarks on Sunday at a meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (PUIC), held on the sidelines of the 151st Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva.
What he is saying:
“Any ceasefire or temporary agreement should not mean forgetting justice and criminal responsibility,” Haji Babaei warned. “The international community has a duty to identify and prosecute the perpetrators and masterminds of war crimes and genocide in Gaza.”
Haji Babaei said Israeli regime, with the support of the United States and some Western powers, has perpetrated heinous crimes against the Palestinian peopl.
He warned that decades of impunity granted to Israel have emboldened it to continue its crimes across the region, rendering the UN Security Council ineffective in fulfilling its mandate to maintain global peace and security.
Haji Babaei described the ongoing crisis in Gaza as “a test for human conscience and the effectiveness of the international system.”
He emphasized that “lasting and honorable peace” can only be achieved through unity in the Islamic world, parliamentary solidarity, and revival of global justice.
The Iranian parliamentarian reiterated Tehran’s support for all initiatives that aim to end the genocide, facilitate humanitarian aid, free Palestinian prisoners, and secure the withdrawal of occupation forces from Gaza.
“Iran has consistently used all its diplomatic capacities, especially within the OIC and the United Nations, to pressure Israel and its backers to halt their crimes and end the occupation,” Haji Babaei added.
Between the lines:
Haji Babaei’s remarks highlight Tehran’s strategy to frame the Gaza conflict not only as a humanitarian crisis but also as a test of international law and the credibility of global governance mechanisms.
The other side:
While Western governments have defended Israel’s aggression as its so-called“right to self-defense,” they have largely ignored calls from Iran and other Muslim nations to hold Israeli leaders accountable, highlighting deep geopolitical divisions over justice and responsibility for the Gaza war.
What to watch:
As discussions continue in Geneva and other international forums, Iran is expected to intensify its diplomatic efforts to push for international investigations, UN action, and legal proceedings targeting Israeli officials.
Go deeper:
Iran Backs Any Initiative to End Gaza Genocide, Says Parl. Speaker
Zohre Khazaee - ahmad shirzadian
