As tensions between the US and Iran escalated last week, Tehran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba reportedly called on the Islamic Republic’s judiciary to pursue and restore the nation’s rights, Press TV reported Monday.
Khamenei made these remarks on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti and his companions, designated as the Judiciary Week and asked the judiciary to restore the rights that have been violated as a result of the US-Israeli war last year, according to Press TV.
stressed that one of the key legal challenges facing Iran is pursuing justice and restoring rights that he said had been infringed upon by foreign powers he characterised as “international criminals and arrogant and aggressive powers,” Press TV reported.
Quick answers to key questions
What did Mojtaba Khamenei demand from Iran’s judiciary regarding the US and Israel?⌵
Mojtaba Khamenei called for Iran’s judiciary to restore the nation’s rights and pursue legal action against the US and Israel for crimes he claims were committed during recent conflicts.
Why does Khamenei emphasize the importance of pursuing justice against foreign aggressors?⌵
Khamenei believes that protecting the rights of Iranians involves not only individual legal matters but also the defense of the nation’s collective rights against foreign aggressors’ crimes.
How does Khamenei justify the legal cases against foreign powers?⌵
Khamenei cites the physical, psychological, material, and spiritual damages inflicted on Iran as grounds for hundreds or thousands of legal cases against the US and Israel.
What recent events led to Khamenei’s statements on pursuing legal action?⌵
Khamenei’s statements followed renewed hostilities and strikes between the US and Iran, creating a context where he felt compelled to address the judiciary’s role in seeking justice.
Should Iran’s judiciary pursue international legal actions against the US and Israel?⌵
Khamenei urges the judiciary to actively seek legal redress in both domestic and international courts for the infringements committed by foreign powers.
He added that protecting the rights of the Iranians extends beyond individual legal matters and includes defending the nation’s collective rights against crimes committed by foreign aggressors. reminded the judiciary of its responsibility and said it is tasked with safeguarding citizens’ rights, protecting public freedoms and legitimate liberties, fighting corruption, delivering justice, upholding religious laws, and ensuring that the law is properly enforced.
Iran’s Supreme Leader calls for legal actions over war crimes
Recalling the two wars of aggression waged by the US and in June 2025 and February this year, Khamenei said the blood of those killed in these two wars, along with the physical, psychological, material and spiritual damage inflicted on Iran and its people in the country and those living abroad, is the basis for hundreds or thousands of legal cases, Press TV reported.
He also invoked the killing of children and unprecedented in Minab and Lamerd, attacks on medical and public service centres and the deaths of victims ranging from newborn infants to the elderly.
According to Press TV, to strengthen his case, Khamenei argued that several American and Israeli leaders in the past have acknowledged and even taken pride publicly in such acts, which can constitute an admission of committing crimes that could further boost the legal basis for restoring the Islamic Republic’s violated rights.
His remarks came days after the US and Iran traded fresh strikes, putting the already fragile ceasefire at renewed risk.
US-Iran trade strikes, blame the other for violation
On 26 June, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in a post on X that it launched strikes targeting Iranian sites in response to the drone attack on a Singapore-flagged vessel near the Strait of Hormuz a day ago.
US President accused Tehran of violating the ceasefire by targeting a commercial vessel. In a Truth Social post, he wrote, “One of the Drones solidly hit the upper deck of a large and very expensive cargo-carrying ship,” and added that three others were shot down. He further said, “Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement.”
Following US strikes, Tehran retaliated and launched strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait’s US bases on 28 June. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also threatened a “complete halt” to negotiations to end the war if Washington continued with its attacks.
Following the tit-for-tat strikes, a senior US official told Axios that the two sides have agreed to halt the strikes in the region and continue with their talks on Tuesday in Qatar’s capital. The discussions, previously scheduled to take place in Switzerland and to focus on negotiations to end the war, will now focus on issues surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
