In a statement released on Saturday night, Baqaei strongly condemned the terrorist act by the Israeli regime involving a drone strike on a vehicle carrying Lebanese journalists in southern Lebanon, which resulted in the martyrdom of Ali Shoeib, a prominent journalist for Al-Manar TV; Ms. Fatima Fatouni, a renowned reporter for Al-Mayadeen TV; and Mohammad Fatouni, a cameraman for the network.

Referring to the hundreds of terrorist attacks by the Israeli regime against journalists and cameramen in occupied Palestine and Lebanon, particularly over the past three years, the Iranian spokesperson said, “Attacking journalists constitutes a flagrant violation of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law enshrined in the 1949 Geneva Conventions and is a clear instance of a war crime and a crime against humanity. The Israeli regime, under the overt political and media cover provided by the United States and certain other Western countries, continues to commit such crimes with complete impunity.”

Extending his condolences for the martyrdom of these three journalists to their families, their colleagues at Al-Mayadeen and Al-Manar networks, the media community, and the people and government of Lebanon, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson underscored the shared responsibility of the international community to prosecute and punish the Israeli regime for committing these crimes.