Iran issues Interpol arrest notice for Trump, other US officials

The request for the arrest of President Trump and dozens of other US officials was in response to the drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in January of 2020.

Soleimani commanded the Quds Force, which is responsible for the international operations of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. He was often considered to be the right-hand man of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with power superseding even that of the nation's President. He helped develop Iran's strong relationship with the terrorist organization Hezbollah and played a major role in Iran's handling of the Syrian Civil War.

Soleimani was assassinated by drone strike on Jan 3, 2020. According to the Trump administration, he was targeted to prevent imminent attacks on American servicemen. He had also been responsible for an attack on the US embassy in Baghdad a month earlier.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Agnes Callamard, said the assassination violated international law.

Gholamhossein Esmaili, Iran's judicial spokesman, made the announcement on Tuesday in a press conference. "The Islamic Republic of Iran is very seriously following up on pursuing and punishing those who ordered and executed this crime," Esmaili said.

Ebrahim Raisi, Iran's Chief of Justice, said "Trump’s presidency has ended. But even if his term hadn’t ended, it would be unacceptable to say someone shouldn’t be accountable to law due to his administrative position."

The request is the second time Iran has asked Interpol to issue an arrest warrant for President Trump, as the country made a similar request in June of last year. Interpol rejected the request, stating that they do not make "any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character."

It is unlikely that Iran's latest request will amount to any substantial action against Trump or other US officials.