Iran’s top military commander on Thursday warned that the ongoing Israeli attacks against Gaza could lead to the involvement of other parties in the conflict.
Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, also engaged in discussions with the Defense Ministers of Qatar, Türkiye, and Russia, addressing the latest developments in Gaza and the broader region.
Bagheri told Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu that the ongoing crimes of Israel, with direct backing from some nations, are exacerbating the situation and could potentially draw other actors into the war.
“The continuation of the crimes of the Zionist regime, along with direct support and aid from certain countries, has made the situation more complicated and can draw other actors into this conflict,” Iranian state media quoted Bagheri as telling Russia’s defense minister in a phone call.
For his part, Shoigu reiterated Russia’s position on supporting the establishment of a ceasefire and the prevention of harm to civilians. He also criticized Western nations for thwarting the Russian resolution in the UN Security Council.
In other news, Mohsen Rezaee, an Iranian politician and member of the country’s Expediency Discernment Council, affirmed that Iran is closely monitoring the situation in Gaza.
“We believe that the current situation should not persist, yet there are critically important events unfolding, and we must remain prepared,” said Rezaee when asked whether Iran had intervened in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Furthermore, Rezaee noted that Israel is bombarding innocent civilians, which constitutes a grave crime, instead of confronting fighters and military personnel in the war.
On his part, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi condemned the US for exercising its veto power in the UN Security Council regarding Gaza.
Raisi characterized the events unfolding in Gaza as “genocide” and placed blame on the US and those who support Israel.
