Tehran: The United States is being accused by Iran of using sanctions as a tool to silence those who criticize Israel’s actions in Gaza, described by Iran as genocide. Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, articulated this stance in response to a statement made by Josep Borrell, the former European Union foreign policy chief, on his social media account.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Borrell urged the European Union to lend support to Francesca Albanese, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Palestine, who has been targeted by U.S. sanctions. Borrell condemned the U.S. sanctions as an unprecedented move that violates the U.N. Charter, emphasizing that the European Union is obligated by its treaties to uphold international law and defend the rights of U.N. mandate holders.

Albanese has been outspoken about Israel’s actions in Gaza, where reports indicate that over 58,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, have died in Israeli military operations since October 7, 2023. Her c
riticism aligns with broader international concerns regarding Israel’s military conduct.

In a related development, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former minister responsible for military affairs, Yoav Gallant. They face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity arising from the conflict in Gaza. Additionally, Israel is contending with a genocide case at the International Court of Justice concerning its actions during the Gaza conflict.