Khamenei Calls for Death Penalty for Netanyahu Rather Than Arrest Warrant

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei suggested Sunday that the International Criminal Court in The Hague should pursue Benjamin Netanyahu for a death sentence rather than settle for an arrest warrant. The statements were made during a speech to members of the Basij force, a paramilitary organization known for its role in internal security operations and the repression of opposition in Iran.

Addressing the assembled forces, Khamenei asserted that “the Iranian Basij will certainly succeed in destroying the Zionist regime in one day.” He continued his criticism of Israeli military operations by saying: “Bombing houses in Lebanon and Gaza is not a victory. They are stupid if they think that bombing houses, hospitals and rallies constitutes a victory. Nobody see this as a victory.”

“What the Zionists are doing is a war crime,” Khamenei told his forces, referring to the ICC’s existing mandates before adding: “but it is not enough. They must issue a death sentence against Netanyahu. This criminal leader must receive a death sentence.”

These remarks mark an escalation in the rhetoric of the Iranian supreme leader, while regional tensions remain high. The Basij, the paramilitary organization he was addressing, is a component of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, playing a central role in maintaining domestic order and suppressing opposition movements in Iran.