Deputy FM links martyrdom of Leader to enduring American crimes against Iran

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi has stated that the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei stands as a poignant symbol of the United States’ persistent enmity toward the Iranian nation and the unbreakable resistance of the Iranian people.

In a post on X on Thursday, Gharibabadi drew a direct parallel between the Leader’s martyrdom and one of the most heinous crimes in modern history: the deliberate downing of Iran Air Flight 655 on July 3, 1988.

“This day reminds us of a crime in which America took the lives of 290 innocent human beings, including 66 children,” he wrote.

The senior Iranian diplomat emphasized that this atrocity, carried out by the USS Vincennes in Iranian territorial waters, will never fade from the collective memory of the Iranian people.

He highlighted the US response as further evidence of its criminal nature such as denial of responsibility, refusal to issue a formal apology, and the awarding of a medal to the commander responsible for the massacre.

Gharibabadi stressed that in these days, as the nation honors the martyrs of Flight 655, it simultaneously pays tribute to its martyred Leader.

“The martyrdom of Imam Khamenei, the great Leader of the Revolution, symbolizes for Iranians the continuation and depth of America’s enmity toward the Iranian nation, as well as the eternal symbol of their steadfastness and resistance against American hostility,” he declared.

This message comes as the Iranian people, united in grief and resolve, mourn the Leader’s martyrdom while reaffirming their commitment to the path of resistance and self-reliance.

The Islamic Republic has long exposed the hypocritical and aggressive policies of the United States, which has a dark record of crimes against the Iranian nation, from supporting Saddam Hussein’s invasion in the 1980s to recent aggressions and sanctions aimed at weakening the Islamic system.

US officials claimed the USS Vincennes had mistaken Iran Air Flight 655 for a warplane. This is while the warship was equipped with highly sophisticated radar systems and electronic battle gear at the time of the attack.

In 1990, the captain of the cruiser, William C. Rogers, was cleared of any wrongdoing, and was even awarded America’s Legion of Merit medal by then President George Bush for his “outstanding service” during operations in the Persian Gulf.

The downing of Iran Air Flight 655, which killed dozens of women and children on a civilian passenger plane, remains one of the starkest examples of US state terrorism.

Despite overwhelming evidence, Washington has never fully accounted for or atoned for this barbaric act, choosing instead to shield the perpetrators.

Iran slams US human rights violations 36 years after downing of passenger plane

It was the 36th anniversary of the downing of an Iranian passenger plane by a US Navy guided-missile cruiser over the Persian Gulf.

Gharibabadi’s remarks serve as a stark reminder that US enmity is not a fleeting policy but a systemic pattern rooted in opposition to Iran’s independence and revolutionary ideals. Yet, as history has repeatedly shown, every act of aggression has only strengthened the Iranian nation’s unity, determination, and progress.

The martyrdom of the Leader, far from weakening the Islamic revolution, has ignited a new wave of solidarity and resolve. As Deputy FM Gharibabadi affirmed, the Iranian people will forever honor their martyrs and press forward with greater strength, ensuring that the blood of the innocent fuels an unstoppable march toward justice and victory over arrogance and imperialism.

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