‘Israel backing’ Biden govt says late Iran President had ‘lot of blood on his hands’
*Unwavered Supreme Leader shows death changes nothing in Iran’s foreign policy
By KEMI KASUMU with Agencies
The Joe Biden Administration, a major strength upon which Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu relies upon to have spilled blood of tens of thousands of mainly children, women and defenceless men of State of Palestine, has just said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in helicopter crash on Sunday May 19, 2024, had a “lot of blood on his hands”.
It said this in a statement by the White House on Monday May 20, although it offered condolences after his death in the crash.
“This was a man who had a lot of blood on his hands,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, saying Raisi was responsible for “atrocious” rights abuses in Iran and had supported regional proxies including Hamas.
Kirby said, however, that “as in any other case, we certainly regret in general the loss of life and offered official condolences as appropriate.”
The Biden government, not withstanding the global outcries against the Israeli genocide in Gaza, continues to back the killings in the Palestinians’ “criminally” occupied land by the Zionist administration of Tel Aviv with it, most recently, vehemently opposing United Nations Security Council from recognising the State of Palestine as a country with full rights to govern and defend itself against West backed Israeli oppression.
Unwavering, Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, wields ultimate power in Iran, exercised the fact that the country, by its Constitution, is well grounded not to be affected adversely by death or absence of any performing leader like it has happened with the death of Ebrahim Raisi.
It showed in how confident Khamenei was, when amidst tension, on Monday, he was addressing stakeholders and giving assurances that the country would continue normal with no gaps.
Meanwhile, Iran announced Monday that it will hold presidential elections on June 28, state media reported, following the death of Raisi and his entourage in a helicopter crash.
“The election calendar was approved at the meeting of the heads of the judiciary, government, and parliament,” state television said.
“According to the initial agreement of the Guardian Council, it was decided that the 14th presidential election will be held on June 28.”
Iranians began mourning Raisi whose helicopter crashed into a fog-shrouded mountain, setting off a period of political uncertainty in the Islamic republic.
Raisi, 63, his foreign minister and seven others died when the aircraft went down on Sunday in a remote area of northwestern Iran, where the wreckage was only found on Monday morning.
The ultraconservative Raisi had been in office since 2021, a turbulent time during which Iran was rocked by mass protests, an economic crisis deepened by US sanctions, and armed exchanges with arch-enemy Israel.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who wields ultimate power in Iran, declared five days of mourning and said vice president Mohammad Mokhber, 68, would assume interim presidential duties until elections are held within 50 days.
“The Iranian nation has lost a sincere and valuable servant,” said 85-year-old Khamenei, whom Raisi had been expected by many observers to one day succeed.
Thousands of mourners massed in central Tehran’s Valiasr Square to pay their respects to Raisi and to Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
Funeral rites were set to start Tuesday in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan province, for them and the other victims — three crew, two bodyguards, an imam and a provincial governor — before Raisi’s body was to be taken to Tehran.
A funeral procession will take place in the capital on Wednesday morning.
Iran’s military chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri ordered “a high-ranking committee to launch an investigation into the cause of the president’s helicopter crash”.
