TEHRAN- Iran says that the current suppression of pro-Palestine student demonstrations in the West shows that the U.S. and Europe prioritize their backing for Israel over their commitments to uphold human rights.
In a post on X on Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said that “violent and brutal suppression of student protest movements in America and Europe against the war crimes of the Zionist regime continues with intensity.”
“It is clear that the commitment to unconditionally support the Zionist regime has precedence over the human rights commitments of the United States and some European countries,” he added.
Kanaani went on to stress, “After this, the public opinion of the world does not value the false slogans of the U.S. and Europe about human rights, because they have sold not only human rights, but also the basic rights of their citizens for a cheap price to some war criminals.”
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators have taken to college campuses across Europe, following the lead of U.S. institutions where students have established encampments to call for an end to the Israeli attack on Gaza, only to be met with repression, suspension, and imprisonment.
In the second day of protests over the Israeli genocide in Gaza, Dutch police broke up a pro-Palestine demonstration at the University of Amsterdam on Thursday, leading to the arrest of dozens of students.
Videos seemed to show demonstrators being struck by riot gear-clad cops. Hundreds of people yelled, “Shame on you!” as the video appeared to also show cops hauling some students away.
While students at Ghent University in Belgium continued to occupy the university, demonstrators at Utrecht University took over a building in protest.
Protests and camps persisted on Spanish universities all around the nation. A non-profit organization that represents 77 Spanish institutions announced that its members will examine their relationships with Israeli research facilities and universities and, if necessary, stop them.
The demonstrations on campuses coincide with mounting pressure on EU leaders to react to Israel’s attack on Gaza.
Also, in another post on X on Thursday, Kannani showed reaction to the U.S. plan by members of Congress in both parties, adding that Tehran will retaliate against the United States following rumors that U.S. senators are drafting legislation that would punish officials of the International Criminal Court if they issue arrest warrants against Israeli officials.
“This is a shameful and worrying act,” the spokesman said.
“The goal of a group of representatives of U.S. Congress in threatening and pressuring the prosecutors and judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is to provide immunity for war crimes and genocide by the officials and military commanders of the Zionist regime,” he added.
Kanaani said, “This ugly intervention will create a dangerous trend that is contrary to the goals and philosophy of the International Criminal Court in penalizing and punishing war criminals.”
“Global silence in the face of such threats hinders the execution of justice and the continuation of crimes against the Palestinian nation and impunity for its perpetrators,” he continued.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul revealed that the legislation is being worked on, despite repeated warnings from pro-Israel members of Congress that the ICC faces repercussions from the U.S. if it proceeds with the warrants.
According to reports, U.S. senators have vowed to “personally target him, his family, and his court staff” if ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan issues arrest warrants for senior military leaders and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Zeteo website reports that Khan was threatened with severe consequences in a letter from twelve members of Congress if he proceeded to issue arrest warrants against the leaders of the Israeli occupation.
The signatories stated that harsh consequences would follow if the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders since it would be seen as a challenge to both U.S. and Israeli sovereignty.
The report also stated that the signatories ended with the warning, “You have been warned.”
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