Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday accused Israel of attempting to provoke a full-scale regional war by dragging Iran into the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The Iranian President warned of the "irreversible" consequences such actions could have, according to Reuters . “We do not wish to be the cause of instability in the Middle East as its consequences would be irreversible,” Pezeshkian stated in a press briefing upon his arrival in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. He emphasized that Iran seeks peace, not war, adding, "It is Israel that seeks to create this all-out conflict." Pezeshkian criticized the international community's inaction in the face of what he described as "Israel's genocide" in Gaza. He also called for dialogue to resolve the Middle East conflict. His comments come after Israel launched air strikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon. As of Monday night, the IAF struck approximately 1,600 Hezbollah terrorist targets in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley. Officials in Lebanon said 492 people were killed in IDF strikes throughout the country in the last day and that 1,645 were injured. Asked if Iran would directly enter the conflict, Pezeshkian replied, “We will defend any group that is defending its rights and itself,” though he provided no further details. Asked about Iran's response to the elimination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July, which Iran and Hamas have blamed on Israel, Pezeshkian said, “We will respond at the appropriate time and place, in an appropriate manner While Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have vowed "severe" retaliation for Haniyeh’s death, Tehran has so far refrained from any direct military action. Pezeshkian, touted as a reformist, defeated his hardline rival, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, in a runoff election . Related articles: Iran officially rejects direct talks with US 'No negotiations, do whatever the hell you want' Iran’s VP Zarif steps down amid pressure from hard-liners 'Iran will rebuild its nuclear sites if attacked' While improving Iran's relationships with the West is one of his stated goals, that does not include Israel. On the day of the first round of the elections, responding to a question from a journalist about how Iran would manage international relations if he were president, Pezeshkian replied , “God willing, we will try to have friendly relations with all countries except Israel.” In late July, Pezeshkian warned that any possible Israeli attack on Lebanon “could backfire and have severe consequences for the Zionists themselves”.
