Iran's Araghchi invokes Roman general's defeat in response to Rubio's warning to ICC

Detailed summary

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday invoked the defeat and execution of Roman general Pompey in an apparent response to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's warning…

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday invoked the defeat and execution of Roman general Pompey in an apparent response to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's warning to the International Criminal Court (ICC) against pursuing Americans.

“‘Don't quote laws to men with swords’ was uttered by a Roman general whose final campaign ended in crushing defeat, despite numerical superiority. He was beheaded after fleeing the battlefield,” Araghchi wrote on X.

“Better maxim: ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,’” he added.

Rubio invoked Pompey during a speech Friday at the Federalist Society's National Lawyers Convention in Washington, where he criticized the ICC and accused international institutions of using international law to advance political interests.

“If they're foolish enough to try to enforce their paper decrees on Americans, our answer will probably be the same as the Roman general, Pompey,” Rubio said.

“Stop quoting laws to men with swords,” he added, citing the ancient Roman commander.

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