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"Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not love transgressors." (Surah Al-Baqarah, 190)
"And if anyone attacks you, retaliate in the same manner as they attacked you. Fear Allah and know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves." (Surah Al-Baqarah, 194)
From the perspective of the Holy Quran, the killing of a single innocent person—without sin or corruption—is equivalent to the killing of all humanity.
"Whoever kills a soul not in retaliation for murder or corruption on earth, it is as if he has killed all of humanity." (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 32)
Thus, the issue is not one of quantity. The killing of a human being without religious or legal justification constitutes a global crime. When such killing involves the murder of a pure and divine soul—such as the wise leader of the Revolution, his spouse, children, beloved bride, cherished grandchildren, over 180 innocent children, and numerous other individuals including nurses, doctors, athletes, public servants, and, above all, pure-hearted, brave, and devoted commanders and generals such as General Qasem Soleimani, Chief of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces; General Mohammad Pakpour, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; General Air Force Colonel, Admiral Ali Shemkhani, Minister of Defense Aziz Nasirzadeh, and many other revered commanders—whose martyrdom was mourned by millions of the noble Iranian people—this constitutes a grave crime. The punishment of a single execution for the perpetrators is insufficient. It is evident that the hands of these criminals are stained with the blood of countless great martyrs.
General Qasem Soleimani, General Hussein Salami, the scholarly acclaimed General Mohammad Bagheri, the selfless commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, and dozens of other military martyrs—individuals deeply rooted in the people’s hearts and, in one word, martyrs of the homeland and defenders of the people—cannot be easily forgotten. The hands of the criminals Trump and Netanyahu are undeniably stained with the blood of these legends of sincerity and purity.
On the other hand, according to international laws and regulations, Trump and Netanyahu—being the instigators of assassination and war—are recognized as war criminals and are subject to the highest criminal penalties. They are not only guilty of the massacre of non-combatants and children, but also of the assassination of the wise leader of the Islamic Republic, its commanders, and official figures. The assassination of official representatives of other nations, particularly when these individuals fall under the category of "persons protected under international law," constitutes a gross violation of multiple fundamental principles and binding international legal instruments. Such actions are not merely violations of state sovereignty, but also pose a serious threat to international order and security, plunging the world into global chaos and criminal acts of mass slaughter.
I now highlight several key international legal instruments relevant to this matter:
1) Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter explicitly states:
"All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations."
The assassination of an official of another country on their own soil or on the soil of a third country is a clear example of the "use of force" against the "political independence" of that state and constitutes a blatant violation of this article. Such acts may also be interpreted as "violations of the rights of others."
2) Article 2(1)(a) of the 1973 Convention emphasizes:
"Each State Party shall criminalize in its domestic law the killing, abduction, or any other form of attack on the person or liberty of a person protected under international law."
According to Article 1 of this Convention, "persons protected under international law" include a broad range of officials, such as "heads of government, heads of state, foreign ministers," and any "representative or official of a state" who, under international law, are entitled to special protection.
3) Article 3 of the 1973 Convention establishes the principle of aut dedere aut judicare ("either extradite or prosecute"). It obliges states to exercise their judicial jurisdiction in such cases. This means that if a perpetrator of such a crime is found on a state’s territory, that state must either extradite the individual to the requesting country or, without exception and without delay, refer the case to its own judicial authorities for prosecution.
4) In addition to written treaties, customary international law—binding on all states—also prohibits such actions.
The Principle of Immunity for High-Ranking State Officials: Customary international law grants heads of state, heads of government, and foreign ministers full immunity from prosecution and attack during their official travels abroad. This immunity is not for their personal benefit, but to ensure the effective performance of diplomatic duties and the preservation of international relations.
5) The Principle of Non-Intervention in Internal Affairs: The assassination of an official—often aimed at changing a country’s political system or influencing its policies—is a clear violation of the principle of non-intervention in internal affairs. This principle is explicitly emphasized in United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2625 (XXV), titled "Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation Among States."
6) Furthermore, the order to wage war against other countries constitutes a criminal act and leads to criminal responsibility for issuing such orders (Direct Ordering of Crimes). The clearest and most fundamental legal basis for holding those who issue orders to commit crimes accountable is found in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Geneva Conventions.
Article 25(3)(b) of the Rome Statute (1998): This article explicitly states that a person is criminally responsible and may be prosecuted before the ICC if they "ordered, solicited, or induced" the commission of a crime. This provision directly identifies the commander or person issuing the order as the principal perpetrator.
7) The Geneva Conventions (1949): Articles 49, 50, 129, and 146(2) in the First through Fourth Geneva Conventions clearly stipulate that contracting states must enact appropriate laws to ensure effective punishment of individuals who commit any of the "grave breaches" of these conventions. These provisions specifically emphasize that this obligation includes individuals who have "ordered the commission of such breaches."
Based on the above legal provisions, any person who issues an order for assassination or war resulting in mass slaughter is a war criminal:
1. Under Article 25(3)(b) of the Rome Statute, they are directly criminally responsible as the principal perpetrator of the crime.
2. Under Article 28 of the Rome Statute, they are accountable as a commander who failed in their duty of supervision and control.
3. They cannot invoke the defense of "following orders" (Article 33), because crimes against humanity and many forms of war crimes are manifestly unlawful and thus cannot be justified by obedience to superior orders.
Therefore, such an individual is recognized as a war criminal and is subject to prosecution before international criminal courts—such as the International Criminal Court (ICC)—or national courts based on the principle of universal jurisdiction.
In summary, the assassination of state officials, particularly high-ranking ones, constitutes a violation of a network of international obligations whose ultimate purpose is the preservation of peace, security, and cooperation among nations. Such acts are recognized as international crimes, and perpetrators—regardless of their rank—can be pursued by the international community or international judicial bodies.
It is therefore expected of national security and defense leaders that, at the conclusion of hostilities, Trump and Netanyahu be prosecuted as war criminals. This is not only a service to all humanity but also a just demand from all global movements striving against war.
Saied Reza Ameli – Professor at the Department of Communication, University of Tehran
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