The U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee has introduced Resolution 1256, condemning the United Nations for observing a moment of silence for Ebrahim Raisi, the Iranian regime’s former president. This resolution, submitted on May 23, 2024, by seven members of Congress, criticizes the tribute as a blatant disregard of the U.N. Charter’s principles.
Raisi, who served as the regime’s 8th president from 2021 to 2024, was widely denounced for his role in human rights abuses. His involvement in the 1988 mass executions, which claimed the lives of between 2,500 and 30,000 political prisoners, earned him the nickname “Butcher of Tehran.” Raisi defended his actions, stating he was proud of being a “defender of human rights and of people’s security.”
The resolution was introduced by Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV), along with Reps. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Brian Babin (R-TX), Tim Burchett (R-TN), and Claudia Tenney (R-NY). It highlights Raisi’s presidency as marked by severe crackdowns on protests, particularly following the death of Mahsa Amini, in which the regime “killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained.” Human rights lawyers attribute tens of thousands of incarcerations, torture, and executions during Raisi’s government.
Join us in front of the @UN as we urge them to cancel the tribute for #RaisiMassMurderer.
He is responsible for 30,000+ political prisoners executed in 1988 alone. He does not deserve a memorial – his victims deserve justice.@antonioguterres @Reuters @AP @ABC7NY @nypost @ABC… pic.twitter.com/9omuP6hRmJ
— OIAC: Organization of Iranian American Communities (@OrgIAC) May 29, 2024
The resolution asserts that the U.N. moment of silence, held at the request of China, Russia, and Algeria after the deaths of Raisi and the regime’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, contradicts the U.N.’s commitment to fundamental human rights.
It further denounces U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood for participating in the moment of silence, reflecting deep disapproval from Congress members over the gesture.
This resolution emphasizes the U.S. commitment to human rights and stands against any action perceived as honoring individuals responsible for severe human rights violations.
On May 29 an anonymous US official told Reuters, “The United States will boycott a United Nations tribute on Thursday to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.”