Iran's Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, has issued a stern warning that an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza could compel Iran to intervene, potentially escalating the conflict to other regions of the Middle East.
This statement was made during a meeting with the United Nations envoy to the Middle East, Tor Wennesland, in Beirut on Saturday, as reported by Axios, citing two diplomatic sources privy to the situation.
According to these sources, Amirabdollahian expressed Iran's reluctance for the conflict to extend to other parts of the region. However, he maintained that Iran would feel compelled to respond if Israel continues its operations in Gaza.
The possibility of an Israeli ground assault on Gaza has been looming since Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on October 7, resulting in the death of 1,300 Israelis, the majority of whom were civilians. The militants also took several hostages back to Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry has reported that the ongoing conflict has resulted in the death of over 2,300 Palestinians.
Amirabdollahian, while addressing reporters in Beirut, stated that Hezbollah, a terrorist group supported by Iran and based in Lebanon, has considered all possible war scenarios. He urged Israel to cease its attacks on Gaza immediately.
"I am aware of the scenarios that Hezbollah has put in place," Amirabdollahian stated. "Any action taken by the resistance (Hezbollah) will cause a significant upheaval in the Zionist entity."
Hezbollah fighters have been mobilized along Lebanon's borders with Israel, with both sides engaging in multiple fire exchanges since the Hamas attack.
Amirabdollahian issued a warning to "the war criminals and those who support this entity to halt the crimes against civilians in Gaza, as it might be too late in a few hours."
President Biden has cautioned other Middle Eastern actors against joining the conflict and has dispatched American warships to the region, pledging full support for Israel.
Last week, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated that Iran had "broad complicity" in relation to Hamas due to their support for the terrorist organization. However, he noted that there was no "specific evidence that tells us they were wittingly involved in the planning or involved in the resourcing and the training that went into this very complex set of attacks."
Amirabdollahian stated that he intends to contact UN officials in the Middle East as "there is still an opportunity to work on an initiative (to end the war) but it might be too late tomorrow."
On Friday, Amirabdollahian met with Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV also reported that he discussed the situation in Gaza and the region with the top Hamas official in exile, Saleh Arouri, and the leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, Ziad Nakhaleh.
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