Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a stark warning, accusing Israel of attempting to provoke Iran into joining the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has lasted nearly a year. Speaking in New York at the United Nations General Assembly, Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran does not seek war but fears the “irreversible consequences” of a wider regional conflict.
Pezeshkian described Israel’s recent actions as pushing the Middle East towards full-scale war, particularly in response to Israeli airstrikes against Hezbollah, which made Monday the deadliest day in Lebanon in nearly a year. Accusing the international community of remaining silent in the face of what he called “Israel’s genocide” in Gaza, Pezeshkian reiterated Iran’s support for groups defending their rights, including Hezbollah, though he stopped short of declaring Iran’s direct involvement.
The tensions follow the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July, an event for which Iran and Hamas have blamed Israel. While Tehran has vowed severe revenge, it has so far refrained from direct retaliation against Israel. Pezeshkian affirmed that Iran will respond “at the appropriate time and place.”
Efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hamas, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, have stalled. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people have been displaced from both sides of the Israeli-Lebanese border due to near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. The situation has become critical, with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warning that the conflict is nearing a full-blown war.