TEHRAN- The deputy head of International Affairs of Iran's Judiciary and the secretary of the Human Rights Headquarters wrote to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights about the assassination of martyr Ismail Haniyeh.

Kazem Gharibabadi has asserted that the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, represents a prime example of unlawful extrajudicial execution. 

Gharibabadi noted, “This incident, which led to the deaths of both the Hamas leader and his bodyguard, has elicited profound grief among the populations of Iran and Palestine, as well as among Muslims and advocates of the Resistance movement. It has ignited significant protests and denunciations from various governments, political figures, international representatives, and human rights organizations.” 

He remarked that this act of terrorism, aimed at the political leader of a highly regarded Palestinian Resistance organization, constitutes a blatant infringement of Article 48 of the Additional Protocol 1 of the Geneva Conventions, which forbids assaults on civilians, their property, and individuals.

Gharibabadi asserted that the full accountability for this criminal act rests with the Zionist regime, emphasizing that Iran possesses the inherent right to legitimate self-defense as outlined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

The deputy head of International Affairs of Iran’s Judiciary expressed disappointment regarding the ineffectiveness of the United Nations Security Council, attributing this largely to the unwavering support provided by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France to the Israeli regime. 

He pointed out that the Council has faced challenges in even passing a resolution to condemn Israeli actions and has frequently extended political and military support to them.

Security sources reported that the Zionist regime executed the assassination of Haniyeh during a terrorist operation at dawn on July 31, 2024. 

Haniyeh was present in Tehran to participate in the inauguration ceremony of Masoud Pezeshkian, the newly elected president of the Islamic Republic of Iran who was martyred alongside his bodyguard.