The United States has announced its decision to boycott a United Nations tribute scheduled for Thursday in honor of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who recently died in a helicopter crash. A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, revealed the decision, marking a notable absence from the customary UN General Assembly practice of paying homage to deceased world leaders who were sitting heads of state at the time of their passing.
Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline figure who was considered a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, tragically perished in a helicopter accident amidst adverse weather conditions near the Azerbaijan border on May 19. The U.S. boycott of the UN tribute, which will include speeches commemorating Ebrahim Raisi’s tenure, underscores the strained relations between the two nations.
Citing concerns over Ebrahim Raisi’s human rights record, the U.S. official emphasized that the UN should not be honoring a leader with a history of involvement in severe human rights abuses, including alleged extrajudicial killings and oppression of women and girls during his tenure.
Despite expressing official condolences for Ebrahim Raisi’s death, the U.S. administration faced criticism, particularly from Republican members of Congress, for extending sympathies to Iran. The White House acknowledged Ebrahim Raisi’s controversial legacy, describing him as someone with “a lot of blood on his hands.”
Ebrahim Raisi, 63, assumed the presidency in 2021 and was known for implementing strict morality laws, suppressing dissent through violent means, and engaging in tense negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program with international powers.
