Iran says not directing or controlling resistance groups in region

In an interview with NBC, Amirsaeid Irvani underlined that Iran is not supporting militias and armed groups in the region militarily.

“Ansarullah has its own weapons and Iran is not instructing them how to use those arms,” he explained.

He noted that Iran has a kind of “defense pact” with resistance groups in the region comparable to western military alliance NATO.

“We are not leading them. We are not giving them orders. We are engaged with a sort of consultations with each other,” the top diplomat said.

He further rejected the claim that Iran was involved in the Al-Aqsa Storm operation against Israel on October 7, 2023, conducted by Palestinian resistance forces.

“We didn’t have any role in this decision. It was a Palestinian decision implemented by Palestinians themselves. We had no role in that regard,” he said.

He noted Iran would like to calm the situation in the region, adding the best way to ease tensions in the region is to establish a ceasefire between the Israeli regime and Hamas.

“We don’t want a crisis in the region,” he said.

Iran’s UN envoy also touched upon threats by American authorities, adding, “I think the language of threat in dealing with Iran will be a nonstarter. It is the language of cooperation and respect that works with regards to Iran. If you think Iran is scared of such threats, your are really mistaken.”

He warned that if the United States attacks Iranian soil or Iranian individuals anywhere across the world, they will definitely defend themselves.