Iran Supreme Leader: ‘Ridiculous That Even Though US President Is Black, Still Such Crimes Against US Blacks’
WASHINGTON (CBS DC) — The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, is blasting the United States for what he’s calling the country’s “ridiculous” racial inequality and police brutality, labeling the U.S. government a “major enemy to human rights.”
Addressing the 20th annual General Congress of Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) Commanders and Staff on Sunday, Iran’s Supreme Leader criticized American police, saying their “authority is wrong and oppressive.” Khamenei took to Twitter to rail against U.S. law enforcement who he says utilize “power and tyranny” to “kill innocents” amid ongoing riots over the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore.
It’s ridiculous that even though US President is black, still such crimes agnst US blacks continue to occur. #BlackLivesMatter #FreddieGray
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Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) April 26, 2015
The Ayatollah also adopted several high-profile U.S. cases of police shootings into his posts, including the use of slain African-Americans Michael Brown and Freddie Gray.
“On false pretexts US police shoots ppl on streets. This is a type of power which doesn’t ensure security but leads to insecurity. #MikeBrown,” tweeted Khamenei.
“Power & tyranny are different. In some countries like US, police are seemingly powerful but they kill innocents. #FreddieGray #RekiaBoyd,” he posted on Sunday.
Iran’s Supreme Leader also called out what he views as American hypocrisy on issues of race.
“It’s ridiculous that even though US President is black, still such crimes agnst US blacks continue to occur. #BlackLivesMatter #FreddieGray,” he tweeted.
Even abolition of #slavery in #US wasn’t based on humanitarian intents but on North-South wars & conflict b/t landowners & industrialists.
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Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) April 26, 2015
“They celebrate a day for abolition of slavery but such crimes are committed against the blacks. #EricGarner #TrayvonMartin #BlackLivesMatter,” Khamenei posted on Sunday. “Even abolition of #slavery in #US wasn’t based on humanitarian intents but on North-South wars & conflict b/t landowners & industrialists.”
Khamenei, who is a Muslim Cleric, touted the religion of Islam for its balance of mercy and justice.
“Power with cruelty isn’t favored by #Islam. #Police should embody justice and mercy while being potent,” he tweeted.
Ayatollah Khomeini is the second and current Supreme Leader of Iran, succeeding Ruhollah Khomeini, who became the supreme religious leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, following several years of resistance to Shah Pahlavi. After he was appointed as Ayatollah, Khomeini worked to remove the Shah from power for his associations with Western powers.
