UN Holds Moment of Silence for 'Butcher of Tehran' Raisi After Iranian President Dies in Helicopter Crash

Despite earning the nickname the “Butcher of Tehran” for presiding over Iran’s human rights abuses, the United Nations on Monday, May 20, held a moment of silence for Ebrahim Raisi after the Iranian president died in a helicopter crash.

At the request of Russia, China, and Algeria, representatives – including United States Deputy Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood – stood at the U.N. Security Council for a minute to honor Raisi.

Israeli U.N. Ambassador called the moment of silence in memory of “mass murdering” Raisi a “disgrace.” Erdan slammed the U.N. Security Council for doing nothing to advance the release of the remaining hostages who have been in Hamas captivity since the October 7 attack on Israel.

State Department spokesperson Matt Miller addressed the U.S.’ participation in the moment of silence at an afternoon press briefing. Asked if the U.S.’ participation was appropriate, Miller clarified that “we have been quite clear that Ebrahim Raisi was a brutal participant in the repression of the Iranian people for nearly four decades.”

Miller pointed to Raisi’s involvement in “numerous horrific human rights abuses, including playing a key role in the extrajudicial killing of thousands of political prisoners in 1988. Some of the worst human rights abuses occurred during his tenure as president, especially the human rights abuses against the women and girls of Iran,” Miller said but qualified: “That said, we regret any loss of life. We don’t want to see anyone die in a helicopter crash. But that doesn’t change the reality of his record, both as a judge and as the president of Iran.” (FN / VFI News)

“Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.’” - Ezekiel 33:11a