The U.S. mission to the United Nations is skipping a U.N. tribute on Thursday for Ebrahim Raisi, the late president of Iran who died in a helicopter crash on May 19.
“The U.N. should be standing with the people of Iran,” said Nate Evans, spokesman for the U.S. mission to the United Nations, who noted that Washington wouldn’t participate “in any capacity.”
“Raisi was involved in numerous, horrific human-rights abuses, including the extrajudicial killings of thousands of political prisoners in 1988,” Evans said. “Some of the worst human-rights abuses on record took place during his tenure.”
A U.S. envoy was one of many diplomats at the global body who stood during a moment of silence for Raisi, known as the “Butcher of Tehran,” at the United Nations.
“What’s next: Will the council dedicate a moment of silence to commemorate Hitler?” said Gilad Erdan, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, at the time.
The United Nations also hung its flag at half–mast to honor Raisi.