Khamenei says ICC arrest warrants 'not enough,' calls for death sentences for Israeli leaders

His remarks came after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister Yoav Gallant.

By REUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFF NOVEMBER 25, 2024 10:13 Updated: NOVEMBER 25, 2024 10:37

IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting in Tehran on Sunday. When former supreme leader Khomeini said, ‘We shall export our revolution to the whole world until the cry ‘There is no god but Allah’ resounds over the whole world,’ he meant it, the writer affirms. (photo credit: WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY/REUTERS)

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Monday that death sentences should be issued for Israeli leaders and not arrest warrants.

His remarks came after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri (Mohammad Deif). 

Khamenei, in a speech that was quoted by Iranian state media IRNA, said, "What the Zionist regime did in Gaza and Lebanon is not a victory, it is a war crime."

"Now, they have issued a warrant for their arrest. This is not enough. Netanyahu and the criminal leaders of this regime must be sentenced to death," Khamenei said. 

יש להעמיד לדין את כל הקברניטים הפוליטיים והצבאיים של כנופיית הטרור הציונית הפושעת.

— Khamenei.ir Hebrew (@Khamenei_Heb) November 23, 2024

Khamenei previously tweeted on Saturday to his X/Twitter account in Hebrew that "All the political and military leaders of the criminal Zionist terrorist gang must be prosecuted."