Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, warned on Saturday that the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, where Israel is fighting against local resistance groups, could extend beyond the Middle East.
Araghchi, in a televised speech, emphasized that if the war expands, its negative impacts won’t be confined to West Asia. He warned that insecurity and instability could reach far-off regions.
Since October 2023, Israel has been engaged in a severe conflict in Gaza against Hamas, following Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel.
Recently, Israel has also focused on fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon, with intense battles beginning in September.
On October 26, Israel launched air strikes on Iranian military sites in retaliation for an Iranian attack on October 1, itself a response to the killing of Iranian-supported militant leaders and a Revolutionary Guards general.
Iranian officials reported that Israel’s strikes killed four soldiers and caused minor damage to radar systems. Iranian media also noted a civilian casualty.
In response, Tehran pledged retaliation, despite warnings from the U.S. and Israel. Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, suggested that a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon could influence Iran’s reaction, saying that if Israel halts attacks on civilians, it may affect how Iran responds.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Ali Larijani, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urged caution against reacting impulsively to Israel, stating that Israel might be trying to draw Iran into the conflict.
