The Israeli ambassador was then swiftly removed by UN security personnel from the Assembly Hall, before being questioned and escorted from the premises.
New York, 21 Sep: Israel’s permanent representative to the United Nations was expelled from the UN General Assembly on Tuesday after he interrupted Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s speech.
Gilad Erdan held a banner bearing the image of Mahsa Amini with the words “Iranian Women Deserve Freedom Now” as he walked around the assembly, as Raisi addressed diplomats from the podium.
The Israeli ambassador was then swiftly removed by UN security personnel from the Assembly Hall, before being questioned and escorted from the premises.
In a video shared online, a security officer could be heard asking Erdan to show his ID, which he failed to do as the document remained on his table. Erdan can then be heard protesting his removal, by saying “I didn’t say anything!”.
Reports emerged that Erdan had been detained but the UN later denied this, saying that he was only questioned in a statement given to UK news site The Independent.
Iranian anti-government activists distanced themselves from Erdan’s stunt. However, academic Arash Azizi reportedly said the Israeli government “doesn’t have a policy of promoting human rights or democracy,” pointing to its ongoing occupation and violence in the West Bank and its judicial overhaul.
Iran cut off relations with Israel and withdrew its recognition following the 1979 Islamic revolution. The two countries have been engaged in a widening proxy conflict since the 1980s.
Tehran has often accused Israel of carrying out sabotage attacks and assassinations near its nuclear sites, while Israel has often blamed Iran for using drones and missiles to attack Israel-linked ships in Gulf waters.
