Ex Iran FM: Israeli-Palestinian conflict should not be framed as an Iran-Israel dispute

In an interview with Entekhab news website, Iran’s former foreign minister and atomic chief, Ali Akbar Salehi explained that Iran’s involvement in the Palestinian issue is driven by humanitarian, political, strategic, and national security reasons.

Salehi also underscored the significant costs Iran bears in supporting the Palestinian cause and warned against the ‘naïve’ belief that ignoring Israel would lead to mutual non-interference. “It is naive to think that if we leave Israel alone, they will leave us alone,” he added.

He highlighted the need for a long-term perspective, noting that Israeli officials, despite being stuck in a quagmire, have made bold claims about their territorial ambitions.

“With complete audacity, (Israeli prime minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s minister has said that two-thirds of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt are ours,” Salehi pointed out.

Salehi said Israel’s strategy to eliminate perceived threats, such as Iran and the resistance movement, is ‘simplistic’, explaining it won’t guarantee its existence as an occupying entity.

He argued that the short-sightedness ignores the potential for future resistance to emerge even stronger. “This is short-sightedness,” he remarked. “How can they be sure that these obstacles won’t grow again in the future, stronger than before?”

The Iranian former top diplomat concluded by stressing the need for Iran to maintain its strategic foresight and protect its long-term interests, despite internal disagreements on how to achieve these goals.