Ebrahim Raisi. (Hossein Razaqnejad/Nasim News Agency licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License) Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi told CBS News’ “60 Minutes” in an interview that aired on September 18 that “there are some signs” that the Holocaust happened and that Israel is a “false regime.”
CBS’ Lesley Stahl asked Raisi if he believed that the Holocaust was real. “There are some signs that it happened,” Raisi replied. “If so, they should allow it to be investigated and researched.” Stahl also asked Raisi if he supported Israel’s right to exist; he replied, per The Times of Israel: “The people of Palestine are the reality. This is the right of the people of Palestine who were forced to leave their houses and motherland. The Americans are supporting this false regime there to take root and to be established there.”
In response to Raisi’s remarks, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid tweeted out four pictures showing the barbarity of the Holocaust and the words “some signs,” per the Associated Press.
Some signs https://t.co/FhntllRxq5 pic.twitter.com/RgmjJmeJO3
— יאיר לפיד – Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) September 19, 2022
U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt condemned Raisi’s remarks in a tweet. “Iranian President Raisi’s call for ‘research’ to determine whether the Holocaust happened is ludicrous and dangerous. His statement is a form of Holocaust denial and a form of antisemitism.”
Iranian President Raisi’s call for "research" to determine whether the Holocaust happened is ludicrous and dangerous.
His statement is a form of Holocaust denial and a form of antisemitism. https://t.co/TkLHvkUnND
— Special Envoy Deborah Lipstadt (@StateSEAS) September 19, 2022
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted that Raisi’s comments “were part of a pattern” of “Holocaust distortion and hateful #antizionism.” He also noted that Raisi “tries to kidnap & kill our citizens,” “threaten our political figures… or bomb our troops [with] impunity.” “Alas the only “false regime” is the one in Tehran that sustains itself by assaulting women like #MahsaAmini, beaten to death in broad daylight because of the “crime” of how she wore her hijab or by spreading terror against its neighbors,” Greenblatt wrote. He concluded his Twitter thread by calling for Twitter and other social media companies to deplatform Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
To put this interview in context, #Iran is the largest state sponsor of #antisemitism in the world. These comments weren't off the cuff — they were part of a pattern: #Holocaust distortion and hateful #antizionism. https://t.co/5XSJh1cC4x
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) September 19, 2022
Not to mention @Raisi_com tries to kidnap & kill our citizens (@AlinejadMasih), threaten our political figures (@AmbJohnBolton) or bomb our troops w/ impunity. And keep in mind that he is arguably a war criminal with a track record of ugly #antisemitism: https://t.co/tZ0CuEmybN
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) September 19, 2022
Alas the only "false regime" is the one in Tehran that sustains itself by assaulting women like #MahsaAmini, beaten to death in broad daylight because of the "crime" of how she wore her hijab or by spreading terror against its neighbors. https://t.co/mqmSwaus7V
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) September 19, 2022
These comments should be the last nail in the coffin: it's long overdue for @Twitter and other social media services to boot @Raisi_com and @khamenei_ir off their platforms once and for all
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) September 19, 2022
The American Jewish Committee tweeted, “The Holocaust is not up for debate. We are not even 80 years removed from a genocide that killed more than one-third of the entire global Jewish population. Raisi’s Holocaust denial is a form of antisemitism, plain and simple.”
The Holocaust is not up for debate.
We are not even 80 years removed from a genocide that killed more than one-third of the entire global Jewish population.
Raisi's Holocaust denial is a form of antisemitism, plain and simple.pic.twitter.com/2M3E5XoFEw
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) September 19, 2022
The Simon Wiesenthal Center tweeted, “Iranian regime denies Nazi Holocaust. You can’t trust or believe anything they say.”
Iranian regime denies Nazi Holocaust. You can’t trust or believe anything they say — #EbrahimRaisi https://t.co/fLKzCkmKjX via @CBSNews
— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) September 19, 2022
StandWithUs CEO and Co-Founder Roz Rothstein tweeted: “Watch as #Iranian President Raisi conveys that he is not quite sure that the #Holocaust ever happened. Perhaps he can explain to people like me, (children of people who DID survive the barbaric atrocities), why we grew up with few (if any) relatives.”
Watch as #Iranian President Raisi conveys that he is not quite sure that the #Holocaust ever happened.
Perhaps he can explain to people like me, (children of people who DID survive the barbaric atrocities),
why we grew up with few (if any) relatives.
https://t.co/WpW6LcJgaY— Roz Rothstein (@RozRothstein) September 19, 2022
AIPAC tweeted that Raisi basically told CBS that he “denies the Holocaust,” “rejects Israel right to exist,” and “opposes Arab-Israeli peace deals.” Raisi had told Stahl regarding the Abraham Accords: “If a state shakes hands with the Zionist regime, then they are also an accomplice to their crimes.” “Would we really strengthen the Iranian regime with $100 billion per year for only temporary nuclear restrictions?” AIPAC asked.
Iran’s President to @60Minutes:
❗️Denies the Holocaust
❗️Rejects Israel’s existence
❗️Opposes Arab-Israeli peace dealsWould we really strengthen the Iranian regime with $100 billion per year for only temporary nuclear restrictions? https://t.co/aJSXELE2ua
— AIPAC (@AIPAC) September 19, 2022
Siamak Kordestani, West Coast Director of the European Leadership Network and an Iranian Jewish refugee, tweeted: “No one understands the antisemitism of Iran’s regime better than Iranian Jews, a 2,500-year-old community. Most of us fled because of this Holocaust-denying, misogynist, ultra-homophobic regime. Believe us when we say: Iran’s leaders CANNOT be reformed.”
No one understands the antisemitism of Iran's regime better than Iranian Jews, a 2,500-year-old community.
Most of us fled because of this Holocaust-denying, misogynist, ultra-homophobic regime.
Believe us when we say: Iran's leaders CANNOT be reformed.pic.twitter.com/1oQnoh635R
— Sia Kordestani (@SiaKordestani) September 19, 2022
Former U.S. Deputy Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Ellie Cohanim, who was born in Tehran, tweeted, “You know what’s disgusting? Watching Western women like @60Minutes
Leslie Stahl wear a hijab to please the Mullahs she’s interviewing while the regime murdered #Mahsa_Amini for ‘improper hijab.’ Stop appeasing the regime & start supporting the women of Iran!”
You know what’s disgusting? Watching Western women like @60Minutes Leslie Stahl wear a hijab to please the Mullahs she’s interviewing while the regime murdered #Mahsa_Amini for “improper hijab”.
Stop appeasing the regime & start supporting the women of Iran!#مهسا_امینی https://t.co/EXuin9LLVb— Ellie Cohanim (@EllieCohanim) September 19, 2022
Iranian Americans for Liberty Executive Director Bryan E. Leib asked in a tweet, “Why did @60Minutes give him a platform? What was the purpose of this interview?”
Shocker – President Ebrahim Raisi, like @khamenei_ir, is a Jew-hating Holocaust denier.
Why did @60Minutes give him a platform? What was the purpose of this interview? @RichardGrenell https://t.co/DSQ696CMY8
— Bryan E. Leib (@BryanLeibFL) September 19, 2022
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