Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged Israel to “stop killing innocent people” and condemned its actions in the Middle East, claiming they are supported by the United States and the European Union. He made these remarks during an interview with a Russian state TV reporter while attending an international meeting in Turkmenistan.
Israel has recently intensified its offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, which is backed by Iran. This includes eliminating key Hezbollah leaders, deploying ground troops in southern Lebanon, and launching airstrikes on Beirut. One such Israeli airstrike on Thursday night in central Beirut resulted in the deaths of 22 people and left more than 100 injured, according to Lebanese officials.
Israel defends its operations in Lebanon by stating that the goal is to enable tens of thousands of Israeli citizens, who were displaced from northern Israel due to Hezbollah’s rocket fire over the past year, to return home. Hezbollah has been launching rockets at Israel in support of its ally Hamas, which provoked Israel’s ground assault in Gaza following an attack on southern Israeli communities on October 7.
“I want to tell Israel: stop killing innocent people. Stop bombing residential buildings, targeting those who already have nothing,” Pezeshkian said, accusing Israel of flouting international agreements. “It acts this way because it knows that the U.S. and the European Union are backing it,” he added.
The region remains on edge, anticipating Israel’s response to an Iranian missile strike that occurred on October 1.
