TEHRAN – Iran's acting Foreign Minister, Ali Baqeri Kani, announced that the country will utilize all available domestic and international legal avenues to ensure those responsible for the assassination of its top anti-terror commander, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, are brought to justice.

Speaking to CNN's Fareed Zakaria on Wednesday in New York, where he attended two United Nations Security Council meetings, Baqeri Kani emphasized Iran’s commitment to pursuing legal justice. "We will spare no legal efforts to ensure that justice is served in this case," he stated, adding, "This is our right."

Lieutenant General Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), were killed in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020. The strike, authorized by then-President Donald Trump, targeted the commanders who were celebrated across West Asia for their roles in combating the Daesh (ISIS) terrorist group, particularly in Iraq and Syria.

During the interview, Zakaria also addressed allegations reported by CNN that the U.S. had obtained intelligence about an Iranian plot to assassinate Trump. This claim followed an assassination attempt on Trump while he was campaigning in Butler, Pennsylvania, resulting in an ear injury.

Iran has firmly denied the allegations, dismissing them as politically motivated. Baqeri reiterated Iran’s stance, saying, “We have only used and will continue to use our own domestic legal and judicial frameworks and international mechanisms to ensure justice regarding those who ordered, perpetrated, and advised the assassination of General Soleimani.”

‘Israel's war expansion threats invite serious risks’

In addition to his comments on the General Soleimani case, Baqeri addressed Israel’s repeated threats to expand its military actions from Gaza to Lebanon. He accused Israel of seeking to extend regional tensions to compensate for its failures in Gaza, including the inability to eliminate Resistance movements, secure the release of captives, or displace Gaza’s population.

Baqeri described these actions as a "strategic mistake" that could invite serious risks for Tel Aviv. He pointed out the emergence of new fronts against Israel since the Gaza conflict began, with resistance groups from Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen launching rockets and missiles at sensitive targets in Israel and disrupting Israeli maritime activities.

“The crimes committed by the Zionists over the past nine months have not turned circumstances in their favor,” Baqeri said. He warned that continuing these actions would only activate further resistance against Israel, urging an end to the war on Gaza as the only viable path to reducing risks for Tel Aviv.

‘US not solution but obstacle in way of resolving global issues’

Speaking to reporters in New York on Thursday, Baqeri Kani highlighted U.S. policies in the Iranian nuclear negotiations, Palestine, and Zionist aggression in Gaza as evidence that the U.S. is not part of the solution but a significant obstacle.

"Unfortunately, Zionist crimes and genocide continue to intensify in the region," Baqeri remarked. He also pointed out recent threats of potential military aggression by Zionist forces against Lebanon.

Addressing the critical and sensitive regional conditions, Baqeri explained, "The United Nations Security Council held a session on Palestine, considering the significance of the Palestinian issue and the threat to Lebanon. Recognizing Iran's crucial role in regional developments, we decided to participate in this session."

During the meeting, Iran stressed the necessity of compelling the Zionist regime to immediately and unconditionally halt the genocide and crimes in Gaza. Baqeri warned of the consequences of Zionist strategic errors in attacking Lebanon, stating, "The Zionists, killing and injuring an average of 20 innocent Palestinians every hour, should not be allowed to normalize these continuous crimes. The international community must not remain silent or passive."

Baqeri noted that other participating countries emphasized the urgent need to use all capacities and tools to force the Zionist regime to stop its crimes in Gaza. He also held several meetings with officials at the UN sessions, fostering solidarity and coordinated efforts to address these issues.

In addition to the Palestine meeting, the UN Security Council also held a session on multilateralism. Baqeri argued that U.S. unilateralism has failed, noting that U.S. policies in international matters, including the Iranian nuclear negotiations and the Palestinian issue, demonstrate that the U.S. is a fundamental hindrance rather than a mediator.

"The U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA disrupted the process, and its support of advanced military equipment to Israel has encouraged more Zionist crimes in Gaza," Baqeri explained. "The U.S. cannot play an impartial mediator role in this context."

Baqeri asserted that unilateralism has reached an impasse in achieving peace and stability, while multilateralism is becoming more prominent. With Iran's membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS becoming official, Baqeri said Iran is now playing a more significant and effective role internationally. Iran is leveraging these multilateral capacities to collaborate with other members of the international community to find solutions to major global issues and stabilize regions in crisis.

He emphasized that Resistance in West Asia has become an undeniable and stabilizing force, particularly evident in the past nine months of Zionist aggression in Gaza. "Resistance has shown it is key to establishing and maintaining stability and security in the region. The actions taken by resistance groups aim to prevent the continuation and escalation of Zionist crimes," he stated.

Baqeri reiterated Iran's stance on the necessity of compelling the Zionist regime to immediately and unconditionally halt the genocide and crimes in Gaza, calling for the international community to take a firm stand against the Zionist regime’s actions.

ICRC president urges humanitarian aid for Gaza, lauds Iran’s support

Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), has voiced grave concern over the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza and commended Iran for its support to the Geneva-based humanitarian organization. 

During a meeting on Thursday with Baqeri Kani in New York, where he attended two United Nations Security Council meetings, Egger detailed the ICRC’s ongoing efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. She pledged to do everything possible to ease the suffering of the Palestinian people.

Baqeri Kani, in response, praised the ICRC’s work in Palestine and Gaza, highlighting the alarming humanitarian situation faced by Palestinians. He criticized politically motivated approaches and double standards that have hindered efforts to resolve the Gaza crisis.

"Regrettably, over 20 individuals get killed and injured in Gaza every hour. This is a humanitarian tragedy. The international community must act quickly to stop the Zionist regime and hold it accountable," he stated.

Israel's conflict in Gaza, which began on October 7 following a surprise retaliatory operation by Palestinian Resistance groups, has resulted in a near-total blockade of the territory, severely restricting the flow of food, medicine, electricity, and water. Since the conflict started, nearly 39,000 Gazans, most of them women, children, and adolescents, have been killed.

UN deputy humanitarian chief praises Iran’s efforts toward Palestine

In a separate meeting, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Masoya commended Iran’s constructive role in humanitarian issues and stressed the need for enhanced cooperation. 

Masoya called for increased efforts to end the Gaza war and address the dire situation in the region.

Baqeri Kani described the massacre of innocent Palestinians in Gaza as genocide and called on the international community to expose these crimes and take immediate action to stop them. He demanded the cessation of Israeli attacks and displacement efforts in Gaza, condemning them as vindictive and unsustainable.

"There is no chance for Israel to emerge victorious in the war. It only increases the costs for the U.S. administration, the regime's biggest sponsor," Baqeri Kani said. He urged the United Nations to manage the unblocking of the Rafah border crossing to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Iran, Lebanon reaffirm support for Palestinian Resistance

Iran’s acting Foreign Minister Ali Baqeri Kani reiterated support for the Palestinian Resistance during a meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib in New York. 

Baqeri kani stressed Lebanon's crucial role in regional stability and called for more dialogue with Lebanese authorities.

Baqeri Kani emphasized that Palestinians are the rightful owners of their land and should determine their future. He warned that the expansion of Israeli attacks is escalating the regional crisis and called on Muslim countries to deter Israel from threatening Lebanon.

He pointed to Israel's failure to achieve its goals in Gaza, including eliminating resistance movements and displacing the population. Resistance groups from Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen have launched rockets and missiles at Israeli targets, significantly impacting Israeli operations.

The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has vowed to continue its retaliatory attacks as long as the Gaza conflict persists. Hezbollah officials have stated their readiness to respond to Israeli aggression despite not seeking war.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Bou Habib called for efforts to end Israel’s war in Gaza to prevent its spread across the region and emphasized the importance of establishing a ceasefire. He also praised Iran's support for Lebanon's stability and security.