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Iran Skips Netanyahu's UN Speech, Leaves Soleimani Portrait on Empty Desk in Defiant Gesture
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News18•25-09-2026, 02:20
Iran Skips Netanyahu's UN Speech, Leaves Soleimani Portrait on Empty Desk in Defiant Gesture
- •Iran's delegation was absent from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the UN General Assembly.
- •A portrait of Qasem Soleimani, former commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force, was placed on Iran's empty desk.
- •The symbolic gesture occurred amid a mass walkout by dozens of diplomats as Netanyahu began his address.
- •Netanyahu criticized Iran's leadership as a ‘murderous dictatorship’ and vowed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
- •Soleimani, a key architect of Iran’s regional military strategy, was killed in a 2020 US drone strike.
Key Questions Answered
Iran's delegation skipped Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the 81st UN General Assembly, leaving a prominent portrait of the late commander Qasem Soleimani on their empty desk.
Qasem Soleimani was the former commander of Iran's elite Quds Force and a key architect of the nation's regional military strategy. He was killed on January 3, 2020, in a US drone strike near Baghdad airport ordered by Donald Trump during his first term.
During his UN address, Netanyahu labeled Iran's leadership a "murderous dictatorship" and defended Israel's military campaign, stating his goal was to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
