Hawzah News Agency- Tehran, June 19, 2025 – In a joint statement issued in response to recent threats made by U.S. and Israeli leaders against Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prominent representatives of Iran’s recognized religious minorities strongly condemned the remarks, calling them a flagrant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.
The statement, signed by leaders from Iran’s Jewish, Christian, Zoroastrian, and Mandaean communities, emphasized that any threat to assassinate a political or religious leader of a United Nations member state constitutes not only a breach of the UN Charter but also a violation of norms of international law. The signatories warned that such actions may trigger unpredictable and far-reaching consequences.
“Threats to assassinate political and religious figures—particularly high-ranking officials of a sovereign UN member—represent a direct violation of international legal principles and humanitarian norms,” the statement read. “Such threats are criminally prosecutable and, if deemed imminent, justify a preemptive defensive response under international law.”
The religious leaders described divine and clerical authorities as the spiritual mirrors of monotheistic nations, stating that any attack on them is an assault on the faith, identity, and emotional core of hundreds of millions of believers worldwide.
The statement also expressed concern that the rhetoric from Western leaders, particularly former U.S. President Donald Trump and the Israeli Prime Minister, could fuel religious hatred and destabilize regional and global security.
“These threats are not only illegal but also inflame religious sensitivities within Iran and across the region. They risk provoking a wave of uncontrollable reactions, both locally and internationally,” the signatories warned.
Calling on the international community to act, the religious leaders urged the United Nations Security Council, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and other global institutions to take firm and public action against such rhetoric.
“We expect the world’s religious authorities, human rights institutions, and legal bodies to speak out and act decisively to prevent the normalization of anti-religious and extra-legal behavior,” the statement concluded.
Signatories:
Bishop Narsay Binyamin, Bishop of the East Assyrian Church of Iran, Armenia, and Georgia
Varosh Avansian, Chairman of the Armenian Caliphate Council of Tehran and the North
Rabbi Younes Hamami Lalehzar, Leader of the Iranian Jewish Community
Mobad Mehraban Poladi, President of the Zoroastrian Association of Iran
Ganzora Nejat Chahili, Religious Leader of the Sabean Mandaeans of Iran
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