Amir Saeed Iravani, Iran's Ambassador to the UN, addresses the General Assembly while an image of Raisi Credit is displayed on the screen: EDUARDO MUNOZ/REUTERS
Britain boycotted a minute's silence held by the United Nations in memory of Ebrahim Raisi, the late president of Iran.
The UN General Assembly criticized Thursday's tribute to Raisi, who was killed earlier this year month, a helicopter crashed.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “The UK did not attend the UN General Assembly to pay tribute following the death of President Raisi.”
The UK has diplomatic relations with Iran, but President Raisi has a terrible record in the field of human rights. We believe this correctly when making such decisions.”
The meeting was also boycotted by the United States, France and Israel, and protesters outside the UN headquarters in New York chanted “Shame on the UN.”
Protesters outside UN headquarters on Thursday Photo: EDUARDO MUNOZ/REUTERS
By tradition, the General Assembly honors any head of state of a UN member who dies in office, such as the former North. Korean dictator Kim Jong Il in 2011.
Following a moment of silence in memory of Raisi, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his condolences to the families of all those killed in the May 19 disaster.
“I want to assure that the United States stands in solidarity with the Iranian people in their quest for peace , development and fundamental freedoms,” he said.
“To this end, the United Nations will be guided by the Charter to help achieve peace and security. , sustainable development and human rights for all,” he added.
Not a single representative from a Western country spoke at the awards ceremony.
Mr. Guterres takes part in a moment of silence Photo: EDUARDO MUNOZ/REUTERS
Raisi was known as the “Butcher” of Tehran” for his role in the executions of thousands of opposition prisoners in the late 1980s.
After he was elected president in 2021, he oversaw the suppression of protests that erupted following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. who died in the custody of Iran's “morality police” after being arrested for not wearing the “proper” hijab.
Nate Evans, a spokesman for the US delegation, said: “The UN must stand with the people of Iran.
“Raisi was involved in numerous horrific human rights violations, including the extrajudicial executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.”
“Some of the worst human rights violations in history are taking place in during his tenure.”
However, British and American diplomats took part in the first minute of silence at the UN Security Council meeting on May 20.
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