Iran FM Says Ending Occupation Only Way to Peace in Palestine

Araqchi made the remarks in a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial Committee on Palestine held on Thursday in New York.

Referring to the escalation of violence and human rights violations against Palestinian civilians by the Israeli regime during the past year, the foreign minister said the number of those killed in Gaza is approaching the 42,000 mark, 70 percent of whom are innocent children and women.

Araqchi pointed out that the developments in Palestine prove that the efforts to destroy the Palestinian resistance and Hamas, as a liberation movement, have not been successful.

He also touched on the situation in Lebanon, saying, the Israeli regime’s strikes on Lebanon and breaching the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are worrying and have put the lives of innocent civilians at risk.

The Iranian foreign minister demanded the NAM Ministerial Committee on Palestine show its support for the Palestinian nation’s legitimate struggle by presenting meaningful proposals and measures, including an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, lifting the siege on Gaza, the release of Palestinian inmates, and the necessity for a complete Israeli pullout from Gaza.

The top Iranian diplomat said, “We suggest that all Palestinian people, whether in their own homeland or outside of Palestine, decide about their future through a referendum. We are confident that through this mechanism we can achieve a lasting peace in which Muslims, Christians, and Jews can live together in peace and harmony.”