Flag at Half-Mast in New York for Passing of Iran Leader Sparks Backlash

The United Nations on Tuesday lowered the organization's flag outside its New York headquarters as a sign of respect for Ebrahim Raisi, the deceased Iranian president, sparking criticism from some on social media.

Raisi, who had been widely touted as a potential successor to Ali Khamenei as Iran's supreme leader, died in a helicopter crash on Sunday along with the Iranian foreign minister and other officials.

Iranian opposition activists dubbed Raisi the "Butcher of Tehran" because of his presence on a four-man committee that, in 1988, allegedly ordered the execution of thousands of political opponents. Amnesty International said the Iranian regime is believed to have killed between 4,500 and 5,000 prisoners between August 1988 and February 1989.

Yaari Cohen, an employee of the Political Director's Office at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, posted a video on X of the U.N.'s flag being lowered to half-mast outside the body's headquarters in New York. The post, which has received more than 55,000 views, was then widely reposted. As the footage racked up millions of views across the platform, many users weighed in on the U.N.'s decision to lower its flag.

Gilad Erdan, Israel's ambassador to the body, called the move disgraceful, writing on X: "You have to see it to believe it: today, the UN lowered its flag in honor of Iran's mass-murdering President and Foreign Minister. Unbelievable!"

Erdan continued: "This is beyond disgraceful. It is an offense to true supporters of human rights worldwide. The next time the UN issues a statement on human rights, remember that it is the same organization that gave the red carpet treatment to these mass-murderers in life and death."

On Monday, the U.N. released a statement urging its various branches to lower their flags following Raisi's death.

"On Tuesday, 21 May 2024, the UN Flag will be lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect for the passing of His Excellency Mr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the statement said. "All offices and duty stations are encouraged to lower their flags on this occasion."

While the U.N. is headquartered on U.S. soil, on the eastern side of Manhattan, it enjoys special autonomy, meaning no American military or law enforcement personnel can enter the site without permission from the organization's secretary-general.

Speaking to Newsweek, a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said: "As with everything at the U.N., the lowering of the flags follows strict guidelines and is not haphazard. We take guidance from the U.N. Flag Code—Article 7—(Mourning)."

They included the relevant section of the code which states: "Upon the death of a Head of State or Head of Government of a Member State, the flag shall be flown at half-mast at United Nations Headquarters, at its offices away from Headquarters and at United Nations offices located in that Member State for one day immediately upon learning of the death."

On X, Republican Senator Tim Scott shared a Fox News article about the flag being lowered, adding: "The UN and the Biden administration should honor the victims of the Iranian regime, not the Butcher of Tehran. Tributes to Raisi are a slap in the face to all those who suffered under his reign."

Goldie Ghamari, a conservative Canadian politician of Iranian descent, also shared the video on X, writing: "Defund the UN. The corrupt UN is flying its flag at half-mast because the Butcher of Tehran, Raisi, is dead.

"This anti-Iranian racist institution has lost the plot. Canadian taxpayer dollars are wasted promoting Islamofascist terrorists. Shame!"

Ian Bremmer, the president of the geopolitical risk firm Eurasia Group, commented, "UN flag in NYC at half mast for Raisi's death but not for the political prisoners he executed."

Jake Wallis Simons, the editor of the U.K.-based Jewish Chronicle newspaper, wrote: "The UN flies its flag at half-mast in honour of the Butcher of Tehran. How must the families of his thousands of victims feel seeing this? Its moral bankruptcy could not be clearer."

Raisi first ran for the Iranian presidency in 2017, but he was defeated by incumbent Hassan Rouhani, widely regarded as a moderate. Raisi won the office in 2021, in an election The Economist reported was rigged.

In late 2022 and early 2023, Raisi was involved in suppressing mass demonstrations across Iran after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody after being accused of improperly wearing her hijab in Tehran and arrested. During the unrest that followed, demonstrations took place across Iran. Some women burned their head coverings in the streets before security forces suppressed the protests.

Iran Human Rights, a politically independent group, said at least 551 protesters, including 68 children, were killed during the government crackdown.

Update 5/23/24, 2:26 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with comment from a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.