French says gravely concerned over developments in Gaza

Catherine Colonna, in a phone conversation with her Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian added France pursues the acceleration of efforts to decrease the tensions and stop the military conflict in Palestine.

Over the past few days, at least 30 Palestinians including women and children have been killed in Israeli air raids on the Gaza Strip
Colonna also expressed gratitude for Iran’s humanitarian move to free two French nationals and described it as an effective and trust-building step.

She expressed satisfaction with the fact that Iran pays attention to France’s desired policy of strategic autonomy and said constructive dialog is the best way to help resolve the problems.

In that regard, she added, France welcomes the continuation of constructive and deep talks between the two countries.

For his part, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amirabdollahian condemned the crimes of the Zionist regime in the Gaza Strip and said, “During my visit to Lebanon, I realized that the Palestinian resistance stands ready and determined to defend the rights of the Palestinian nation, and the developments in Palestine will definitely not be in the interest of the warmongering Zionist rulers.”

Commenting on Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Amirabdollahian said, “The IRGC has an unrivaled role in safeguarding national security and countering Takfiri terrorism in the region. As the guardian of the country’s security, the IRGC is our red line.”

The top Iranian diplomat described France’s recourse to a realistic approach toward the Islamic Republic of Iran as a positive step.

Amirabdollahian referred to recent comments by the French president on the policy of strategic autonomy, saying practical efforts to realize such a strategy will be an effective step in today’s changing world.