Mamdani slammed for silence on Pezeshkian after Netanyahu remarks

Key Points:

• New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has repeatedly called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "war criminal" and said Netanyahu is not welcome in NYC, but has faced criticism for not making similar statements about Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during his UN visit.
• Critics, including Iranian-born journalist Masih Alinejad and national security experts, have condemned Mamdani for not addressing Pezeshkian's presence despite Iran's history of human rights abuses and assassination plots against dissidents in the U.S.
• Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon accused Mamdani of promoting anti-Semitism and supporting Hamas while ignoring Iran's government, urging the mayor to focus on NYC issues instead.
• Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton highlighted the inconsistency in Mamdani’s rhetoric, questioning why he targets Israel’s leader but not Iranian officials responsible for extensive human rights violations.
• Mamdani’s international affairs liaison reportedly sought to arrange a meeting with the Iranian U.N. Ambassador, further fueling criticism of perceived bias in his approach to Middle Eastern leaders.