Tehran, Iran – The U.S. State Department’s Persian-language account on its “X” platform condemned the death sentence issued against young Iranian soldier Javid Khales
for refusing orders to fire on unarmed protesters during the popular demonstrations.
The State Department statement described the soldier’s stance as not only appropriate
but “the only morally sound choice,” emphasizing that soldiers’ primary duty is to protect their fellow citizens,
a duty Javid exemplified when he refused to point his weapon at innocent people.
And the report strongly criticized the Iranian authorities’ conduct, describing the punishment of those
who refuse to use violence against their own people as “a shameful and inhumane act.”
The statement added that these protesters in the streets are,
all, “fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters,” and no government should order its security forces to shed the blood of its citizens.
And the US message continued, explaining that the harshest punishments should not be imposed on individuals
who choose to follow their conscience rather than resort to excessive force.
The State Department concluded its statement by emphasizing that Javid Khales was simply performing his duty as a soldier,
and that the Islamic Republic’s reaction to him directly contributes to “damaging its legitimacy” in the eyes of the international community.
