Hawzah News Agency- QOM, Iran — In a formal act of protest, a group of law professors, attorneys, and students from the Faculty of Law at Baqir al-Olum University (PBUH), affiliated with the Islamic Propagation Office of the Qom Seminary, has sent an open letter to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, condemning what they describe as a “blatant and unlawful threat” made by U.S. President Donald Trump against the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The letter, dated Friday, June 20, 2025, comes in response to a tweet published by President Trump on June 18, in which he allegedly stated:
“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target… We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now...”
The Iranian legal community members argue that this statement constitutes a direct threat of assassination and violates multiple foundational principles of international law, human rights, and global peace.
Key Legal and Ethical Concerns Raised in the Letter:
1. Violation of the UN Charter (Article 2(4)):
The threat is said to breach the principle prohibiting the use or threat of force against the political independence and sovereignty of UN member states.
2. Breach of the Right to Life (Article 6 of the ICCPR):
The statement is considered a violation of international human rights laws protecting the sanctity of life and personal security.
3. Incitement to Religious Hatred:
The targeting of a prominent religious leader, the letter argues, promotes a dangerous discourse of religious animosity and could inflame sectarian tensions globally.
4. Obstruction of Peacebuilding and Interfaith Dialogue:
The Iranian Supreme Leader, the letter emphasizes, has consistently advocated for Muslim unity, interfaith understanding, and defense of oppressed nations — making the threat not only personal, but symbolic.
5. State-Endorsed Terrorism by a Nuclear Power:
The letter expresses deep concern that a nuclear-armed state and permanent UN Security Council member is openly engaging in rhetoric that normalizes political violence and assassination as tools of diplomacy.
Demands from the United Nations:
The signatories call on Secretary-General Guterres and the United Nations to:
Issue a clear, public condemnation of the threat.
Refer the matter to the UN Security Council and appropriate international bodies.
Demand an official explanation and retraction from the U.S. government.
Establish a monitoring mechanism for similar threats against religious and intellectual leaders.
Affirm the right of nations to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter in response to explicit threats against their sovereign leadership.
The letter concludes by warning that international silence in the face of such threats would erode the moral authority of the United Nations and undermine the global commitment to peace, human dignity, and international law.
“This is not merely a threat to one individual, but to global rationality, human rights, and the legitimacy of international norms,” the letter states.
The signatories reaffirm their commitment to peace and lawful resistance, urging the UN to uphold its charter and ensure that threats from state actors are held accountable under international law.
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