Iran threatens genocide

The idea of genocide is used far too loosely nowadays but there are some instances where it is justified.

Traditionally the term genocide is taken to mean the systematic extermination of a group of people. The Holocaust and the genocide aimed against Armenians during the first world war are two well-known examples.

Genocide is not generally taken to mean discrimination alone, however bad, or even civil war. That is despite the fact that the latter can be incredibly bloody.

But it is worth remembering that there are some, including the Iranian regime, who are explicitly threatening genocide against Israel’s population.

Take today’s front page from the Tehran Times, generally seen as close to the Iranian regime. The map showing much of Israel being targeted by Iranian missiles is clear.

The 2013 quote at the end from Ali Khamanei, Iran’s supreme leader, is also pretty clear:

“Sometimes the leaders of the Zionist regime even threaten us; they are threatening to strike militarily, but I think they know it, and if they do not know it, they must know that if they make a mistake, the Islamic Republic will destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa.”

Whatever your view of Israel’s actions towards Iran, or indeed its behaviour towards the Palestinians, it would be wrong to ignore such threats.

Note on correction: The original version of this article wrongly stated that the Armenian genocide took place during the second world war. This has been corrected to the first world war.