SAEDNEWS: Iran has condemned Washington’s campaign to pressure countries into ending cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC), describing the effort as “overt blackmail and intimidation to suffocate justice.”
According to Saednews, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, has accused the United States of attempting to prevent the International Criminal Court (ICC) from holding American and Israeli officials and military personnel accountable.
In a statement shared on X, Gharibabadi claimed that Washington is using sanctions, visa restrictions, and political pressure to discourage ICC member states from cooperating with the court. He argued that these actions are intended to shield U.S. and Israeli officials from potential legal proceedings.
Describing the campaign as an effort to obstruct justice, the Iranian official said the United States was trying to prevent legal accountability before any cases could move forward.
His remarks followed a U.S. State Department announcement introducing a broad strategy aimed at countering what it described as threats posed by the ICC. According to the department, the initiative seeks to limit the court's ability to investigate or prosecute U.S. military personnel and government officials, while protecting what Washington considers its national sovereignty.
The announced measures include diplomatic efforts encouraging countries to reconsider their participation in the ICC, urging security partners to reject the court's jurisdiction over U.S. citizens, reviewing certain forms of American assistance, imposing visa restrictions and travel bans, and expanding sanctions against ICC officials and organizations associated with the court.
The exchange highlights continuing tensions between Iran and the United States over the role and authority of international legal institutions.
