Reuters: The U.S. Will 'Not Participate at All' in the UN General Assembly Tribute to Ebrahim Raisi

On Wednesday, June 9, Reuters reported, citing an American official, that the United States will boycott the United Nations General Assembly tribute to Ebrahim Raisi and the victims of the helicopter crash on June 10. According to the report, the official, who requested anonymity, stated that 'some of the worst human rights violations, especially against women and girls in Iran, have occurred during Raisi's presidency.' The official emphasized that U.S. representatives 'will not participate at all' in this UN event scheduled for Thursday, June 10. The UN General Assembly, composed of 193 members, traditionally convenes to pay tribute to leaders who were heads of state at the time of their death, during which speeches are made about the deceased leader. A minute of silence by the UN Security Council in memory of the victims of the helicopter crash involving Iranian leaders on May 21, attended by the U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the UN and the UN Secretary-General at the Islamic Republic's mission, faced widespread protests from Iranians and political figures from other countries. The Biden administration has also faced severe criticism from some Republican members of Congress for expressing condolences to Iran over the death of Ebrahim Raisi and his companions. These Republicans labeled Raisi as the 'butcher of Tehran' and deemed the U.S. government's condolence message inappropriate. However, John Kirby, the White House National Security spokesman, defended the message as a customary act, while also stating, 'Raisi was undoubtedly a man whose hands were stained with the blood of many Iranians.' Ebrahim Raisi, the president of the thirteenth government of the Islamic Republic, his foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Friday prayer leader of Tabriz, and several others were killed in a helicopter crash in the Dizmar forest in East Azerbaijan province on May 30. The U.S. expressed concern over the violence of Islamic Republic supporters against protesters outside Iran. Raisi and his companions reached their end; Khamenei prayed over the body of his 'valuable' president. Reuters: The European Union is adding 10 new individuals and entities to the sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Amnesty International stated that Raisi's death should not hinder 'the right of the Iranian people to achieve justice, truth, and compensation.' The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives called Raisi a 'tyrant'; the White House National Security spokesman defended the government's 'condolences.' The interim head of the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry, a staunch critic of the JCPOA who became the head of the negotiating team for its revival. The head of the Alliance Against a Nuclear Iran stated that Raisi's death could accelerate change in Iran.