Iran's Statement at the 24th ASP of the ICC

Statement by the Delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the Twenty-fourth session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court General Debate The Hague 2 December 2025

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Madam President,

At the outset, we extend our appreciation to you to preside over the twenty-fourth Session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP).

 Madam President, 

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

The Islamic Republic of Iran attaches great importance to fighting impunity and effective prosecution of perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole. Functioning as a court of last resort, the ICC’s work is premised upon the fundamental principle of complementarity as enshrined in the Rome Statute so as to avoid overextension into matters that can be adequately addressed by national jurisdictions and preserve the State Sovereignty as the cornerstone of international community. The effective application of complementarity enhances the legitimacy, efficiency, and sustainability of the international criminal justice system.

During the past year, the draft legislation on “international crimes” was finalized and submitted by the Iranian government to the Parliament for its consideration and adoption. Although crimes under the Court’s jurisdiction have already been prosecutable under existing Iranian laws and regulations, the new draft law is aimed at setting up a specialized framework for prosecution of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.

Madam President,

The current global landscape presents intensifying challenges that demand the Court’s vigilant and punctual response. As an alarming sui generis situation, the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people including a sustained policy of genocide, slaughter, starvation and famine continue to outrage the conscience of humanity. The volume of massacres, the number of victims and the level of atrocities are beyond words; civilians have been killed as members of groups, serious bodily and mental harm have been inflicted on them, and the conditions of life inflicted upon them are vividly calculated attempts to bring about their physical destruction in whole or in part, and finally births continue to be prevented all with intent to destroy Palestinians living in Gaza. Madam President, there has not remained an iota of doubt regarding the commission of genocide by the Israeli regime; the actus reus and mens rea of the Israeli criminals are evident; the special intent is manifest given the official policies and statements of the Israeli criminals in particular during the past two years in Gaza. It is, however, quite disappointing that so far the genocidal acts committed in broad daylight against the Palestinian people have not been the subject of a thorough investigation by the Court. States, public opinion and above all, the victims, have legitimate expectations for administration of justice and bringing the criminals and perpetrators of genocide to the Court.

 Amidst this, it is deeply ironic that certain States Parties to the Rome Statute that praise themselves as the so-called pioneers of criminal justice officially refrain from cooperating with the Court, and, against their robust commitments, have declared that they would not comply with the Court’s arrest warrants against Israeli criminals. Such illegal approach contributes to normalization of impunity for crimes under the Court’s jurisdiction, and further breed the existing banality of evil.  

 

Madam President,

 Emboldened by impunity, the Israeli regime and the United States launched a war of aggression against Iran from 13 to 24 June 2025 and deliberately targeted civilians and civilian objects in commission of war crimes as defined verbatim in the Rome Statute. These assaults resulted in the martyrdom of more than a thousand individuals, including two hundred women and children, and injured thousands more. The individual criminal responsibility of all those engaged in the US and Israeli regime for directing deliberate attacks against civilians including women and children, scientists, university professors, journalists, and prisoners, among others, launching wilful attacks against civilian objects including hospitals and ambulances, and energy infrastructure including peaceful nuclear facilities has therefore been established. Likewise, all those involved in commanding, ordering, committing, or aiding, abetting, and otherwise assisting in the commission of the aforementioned war crimes bear the same individual criminal responsibility

 Against this background, as a victim of the crime of aggression, the Islamic Republic of Iran closely follows up the efforts aimed at amending the conditions regarding application of the Court’s jurisdiction with regard to this crime.  

  Madam President,

We reiterate that the independence and impartiality of the Court, its judges and staff, and the exercise of their functions free from undue influence or external threats are essential for the sound administration of justice. In this context, we fully understand the pressure placed on the Court by way of unilateral coercive measures against fundamental principles of international law in the current times when unilateralism prevails. In my country, countless civilians including patients have been deprived of medicine and other essential items and services due to unrelenting pervasive unilateral coercive measures. Since such measures are imposed on a large scale, directed against a civilian population and are carried out with a clear State policy, they are tantamount to full-fledged crimes against humanity claiming the lives of innocent civilians.

 To conclude, Madam President, we stand at a critical juncture; unilateralism and normalization of genocide, aggression and war crimes sadly prevail over efforts geared toward bringing criminals to justice. The ICC is being put to a test by which it will be judged by generations to come. Let us allow no room for impunity and ensure that genociders and aggressors fail in their agendas.

 l thank you, Madam President.