“I don’t see any signs Iran or any other country wishes to start a large-scale war in the region. The problem is that if this restraint is perceived as weakness, as the green light to do whatever one wants in Gaza, it will be a big mistake,” Lavrov said.
Iran and Lebanon would like to stay out of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the minister added.
“I believe that neither Iran nor Lebanon wants any involvement in this crisis,” the top diplomat pointed out.
Lavrov noted that the expansion of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict outside the region may triggered by the United States.
“It seems to me that people who develop such scenarios actually want to provoke an even bigger crisis. Perhaps this is what the Americans want,” the Russian diplomat continued, responding to a request to comment on the likelihood of the Gaza conflict expanding beyond the region.
Washington does not want to tie Israel’s hands in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Lavrov said.
“Everything that comes from Russia is perceived as an act of hostility, as a hostile initiative. But in essence, in practice, Washington does not want to tie Israel’s hands,” he stated.
Israel should not “buy security” by refusing to create a Palestinian state and reducing the territory intended for it, the foreign minister added.
“Israel should not buy security by refusing to create a Palestinian state and reducing the territory intended for a Palestinian state,” the top diplomat pointed out. He noted that this is the position Russia is trying to convey to Israel and added that Moscow has never underestimated the importance of security for Israel.
