WANA (Oct 19) – Hamidreza Haji Babaei, Deputy Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, warned that any temporary ceasefire or provisional agreement in Gaza must not lead to the neglect of justice or the impunity of war criminals.
Speaking on Sunday at the meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC), held on the sidelines of the 151st Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva, Haji Babaei urged the international community to identify and prosecute the perpetrators and commanders responsible for war crimes and acts of genocide in Gaza.
He underlined that one of the core objectives of both the IPU and PUIC is to promote peace and resolve conflicts through dialogue, cooperation, and parliamentary diplomacy, emphasizing: “Today, humanity faces a great test — a test for our collective conscience and for the effectiveness of the international system in responding to the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.”
Condemning the Israeli regime’s ongoing attacks, the Iranian lawmaker stated that the “Zionist occupying and genocidal regime, with direct support from the United States and several Western governments, has committed horrific atrocities in Gaza,” adding that such actions have undermined the foundations of global multilateralism and discredited international institutions whose very purpose is to uphold peace and justice.
Haji Babaei further noted that decades of impunity and the UN Security Council’s failure to fulfill its primary role in maintaining international peace and security have emboldened Israel’s repeated acts of aggression in the region.
“We firmly believe,” he said, “that only through the unity of the Islamic Ummah, parliamentary solidarity, and the revival of global justice can we reshape the course of history toward a free, secure, and just future for the people of Palestine and the region.”
Reiterating Iran’s consistent stance, Haji Babaei stressed that the Islamic Republic welcomes any initiative aimed at halting the war and enabling the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and continues to support measures that ensure:
an end to the genocide,
withdrawal of occupying forces,
release of Palestinian prisoners, and
restoration of the Palestinian nation’s fundamental rights.
He concluded by emphasizing, “Any ceasefire or temporary deal must not mean forgetting justice. The international community bears a moral and legal duty to identify and prosecute all those responsible for the war crimes and genocide taking place in Gaza.”
The 151st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), themed “Upholding Humanitarian Norms and Supporting Humanitarian Actions in Times of Crisis” and “Inclusive Democracy for Sustainable Globalization,” commenced today (Sunday, October 19, 2025) in Geneva with the participation of a parliamentary delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The session — which will continue until Thursday — is attended by the Iranian parliamentary delegation headed by Hamidreza Haji Babaei, Deputy Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Parliament).
People attend a rally in support of the people of Gaza, after Friday prayers in Tehran, Iran, October 10, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)