New York City’s United Nations headquarters lowered its flag to half-mast on Tuesday in honor of Iran’s late president, Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
“The UN Flag will be lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect for the passing of His Excellency Mr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the U.N. notified its branched. “All offices and duty stations are encouraged to lower their flags on this occasion.”
Nicknamed the “Butcher of Tehran” for approving mass executions of Iran’s political prisoners in 1988 when he was head of the country’s judiciary, Raisi perished in a sudden blizzard-induced accident near the Azerbaijan border. Although Iran is engaged in five days of national mourning, the rest of the world is at odds over just how to react to the former president’s death. Joe Biden’s state department, for example, received backlash for extending its condolences to Iran.
“The United States expresses its official condolences for the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, and other members of their delegation in a helicopter crash in northwest Iran,” the statement said. “As Iran selects a new president, we reaffirm our support for the Iranian people and their struggle for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
Representative Mike Waltz (R., Fla.) joined a host of Republicans admonishing Biden for sending Iran a note of sympathy, saying that the U.S. should instead “publicly denounce” Iran’s regime.
“Biden’s State Department expressing condolences for the death of a brutal and monstrous enemy of America who tortured and killed his own people and led the charge to fund terrorist proxies around the world that have killed American soldiers is a new low for Joe Biden,” Representative Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.) added. “Sec. Blinken’s weak leadership and eagerness to appease the hostile Iranian regime reflects Biden’s policy of rolling over for our nation’s adversaries.”
Senator Tim Scott (R., S.C.) agreed, and elaborated further that America should, “honor the victims of the Iranian regime . . . tributes to Raisi are a slap in the face to all those who suffered under his reign.”
Many Iranian women who suffered under Raisi’s leadership posted videos of themselves celebrating online upon learning of Raisi’s death. The former president led brutal security operations against protesters who demonstrated in support of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in 2022 after being detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly.
“I told you Iranian women are wounded, but unbowed to their oppressors. My social media is flooded with videos of the family members of those killed by the President of the Islamic Republic, celebrating his death,” Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad tweeted.