Iranian President-elect Ebrahim Raisi gestures as he casts his vote during the presidential election in Tehran, Iran, May 19, 2017. Photo: TIMA via REUTERS.

JNS.org – Israel is less than enthusiastic about the European Union’s decision to send a high-level representative to attend the swearing-in of Iranian President-elect Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday.

On Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lior Hayat tweeted: “The decision of the European Union to send a senior representative to the swearing-in ceremony of the ‘Butcher of Tehran’ is puzzling and shows poor judgment.”

Hayat said that EU Deputy Secretary General Enrique Mora would be attending the ceremony just a “few days after Iran killed two civilians,” in “an act of state terrorism against civilian shipping,” referring to a drone attack on an Israeli-managed ship off the coast of Oman last week, in which one British and one Romanian citizen were killed. Iran has denied responsibility for the attack, although the United States and the United Kingdom both pin the blame on Tehran.

According to Hayat, Raisi “has the blood of thousands of Iranian citizens on his hands,” and the presence of an EU representative will lend legitimacy to his presidency.

Earlier on Monday, a spokesman for the Iranian parliament reported that 115 senior officials from 73 countries would be attending the swearing-in ceremony.

“Ten presidents, 20 parliament speakers, 11 foreign ministers, 10 other ministers, as well as representatives of presidents, vice presidents, and parliamentary delegations will all come,” the spokesperson said, adding that another 11 leaders of international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, OPEC and the European Union would also be in attendance.