Iran's Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, has said during his visit to Beirut that every option is possible if Israel's attack on the Gaza Strip doesn't stop immediately.
After meeting Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Friday, Amir-Abdollahian said his visit to Beirut aims to preserve security in Lebanon amid regional tensions.
"What is important for us is security in Lebanon and how to preserve calm," Amir-Abdollahian said.
The Iranian official arrived Thursday night in Beirut, coming from Baghdad, as part of a tour he is conducting in the region to address recent developments and the war in Gaza.
He met with Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Mikati and Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib.
Amir-Abdollahian did not make any statements after he visited Berri.
However, he said after meeting Mikati that the US wants to give "Israel a chance to destroy Gaza, and this is... a grave mistake."
"If the Americans want to prevent the war in the region from developing, they must control Israel," said the Iranian FM, warning that US unlimited support for Israel's ongoing crimes will worsen the situation.
The top diplomat asserted that "Lebanon's security and peace is important to us," adding: "One of the goals of our trip is to stress on Lebanon's security."
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Following his meeting with his Lebanese counterpart, Amir-Abdollahian warned that "if the systemic war crimes of the Zionist regime do not stop immediately, every possibility is conceivable."
He said that Tehran was working to host an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which has 57 member states.
"In this regard, the initial coordination has been carried out with the secretary general of the OIC," the minister told reporters.
He announced that the US sent various messages to multiple parties urging self-restraint, noting that Washington was very concerned about expanding the scope of the war.
"What is funny is that when the US is calling on parties for self-restraint, it is allowing the criminals in the fake Zionist entity to kill women, children, and civilians in Gaza," Amir-Abdollahian said.
The Lebanese FM agreed with his Iranian counterpart that the Arab and Muslim countries must pressure the West to rein in Israel to avoid a regional spillover of the war with Hamas.
Asked by reporters whether he felt the Iranian side came to the region to ensure calm or escalate the situation, Bou Habib asserted that Tehran is interested in calm.
- Meeting Nasrallah
Also on Friday, Amir-Abdollahian met with Nasrallah to discuss "potential outcomes" and the "positions that must be taken" in light of the latest developments, according to a Hezbollah statement.
The two sides reviewed "the recent events and developments in the region, especially after the al-Aqsa Flood operation and the ongoing Israeli aggression against Gaza.”
Discussions covered "the responsibilities of each person and the positions to be taken in the face of these historic events and these dangerous developments" in Gaza and the region.
