Iran FM to UN chief: US escalating tensions in West Asia

During the meeting with Guterres in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday, Amirabdollahian thanked the UN chief for his efforts on important global issues, including the Palestinian issue and the ongoing crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Referring to his own recent meetings with the leaders of the Palestinian resistance in Beirut and Doha, Amirabdollahian said that the situation of the resistance in terms of military ability to continue confronting the Zionist regime’s warmongering is very good, but the Israeli regime is engaged in crimes against Palestinian citizens and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, especially in its north, is very catastrophic.

The Iranian foreign minister also highlighted the support of the Palestinian groups for a permanent ceasefire, saying that unfortunately, the Israeli regime insists on continuing the war with the support of the US, but of course this approach will not produce any results for the Zionists.

Amirabdollahian described the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, especially in the north of the enclave, very worrying and stated that the Zionists have bombed thousands of people to their deaths and want to destroy the remaining population by starvation.

While appreciating the efforts of the UN and its secretary general in sending humanitarian aid to Palestinian citizens, the top diplomat added that the scale of the disaster in Gaza is way greater than the UN relief aid and the US still does not want to end the war, and seeks an escalation in the Red Sea and Yemen, and is bent on deepening the crisis.

The Iranian minister also spoke about the efforts of Iran and the UN to end the crisis in Yemen, saying US military actions against Yemen could endanger the results of joint efforts by Tehran the world body.

Amirabdollahian noted that Iran supports the UN chief’s efforts to end the war on Gaza and the genocide against Palestinians. He said the UN can still count on Iran’s assistance in stabilizing the region.

Guterres for his part said he was pleased to meet Amirabdollahian in Geneva. The UN chief then expressed concern about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and strongly opposed the collective punishment of Palestinians by the Zionist regime.

He added the situation is very complicated and worrying in Gaza and it is necessary to end this dire condition as soon as possible.

Guterres further described the regional situation as explosive, adding that all sides must avoid any action that would aggravate and cause the crisis to spill over across the region.

The UN secretary general noted that despite the harshness of the situation and the complexity of the crisis, the UN will continue its efforts to control and manage the crisis.

Guterres thanked Iran’s diplomatic efforts to help find a political solution to the crisis in Palestine and defuse the crisis in the wider region.