The Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, before his meeting with the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, in Beirut on Nov. 22, 2023. (Credit: Mohamed Azakir /Reuters)
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned on Wednesday that the war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas could spiral out of control if a truce due to come into effect on Thursday did not last.
"If this ceasefire begins [Thursday], if it does not last, conditions in the region will not remain the same as before the ceasefire and the war will spread," he said in an interview with the Beirut-based al-Mayadeen channel, according to Iran's Fars news agency. "We are not looking for an extension of the war" but, "if the war increases in intensity, all possibilities are open for it," said the minister, whose country supports Hamas and Hezbollah does not recognize the existence of Israel.
Israel and Hamas announced on Wednesday an agreement providing for the release of 50 hostages held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel. The exchange is meant to take place during a four-day truce in the Palestinian territory. The agreement was announced on the 47th day of the war, which was triggered by a Hamas attack on Israeli soil on Oct. 7 on a scale and with a violence unprecedented in Israel's history. According to the authorities, 1,200 people, most of them civilians, were killed. In retaliation for the attack of Oct. 7, Israel, which has promised to "annihilate" Hamas, has been relentlessly bombing the besieged Gaza Strip, with more than 14,000 people killed there, including more than 5,800 children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Amir-Abdollahian said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "cannot realize his dream of destroying Hamas." Since the start of the war, Hezbollah has been carrying out attacks against Israel in the border area.
Meetings with Mikati and Berri
Arriving in Beirut on Wednesday, the Iranian minister had meetings with the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, and then with the outgoing Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati. Mikati received Hossein Amir-Abdollahian at his home on Wednesday evening. During this meeting, the head of government stressed "the need to intensify efforts to achieve a complete ceasefire and put an end to the Israeli aggression against Gaza, in order to then find a peaceful and lasting solution." He also urged "influential nations to exert pressure" on Israel to stop its attacks in southern Lebanon, while stressing that civilians and journalists should not be targeted.
For his part, the Iranian minister welcomed the announced four-day ceasefire in Gaza, calling it a "positive step forward."
"The main objective remains to obtain a permanent cessation of hostilities", he added. Amir-Abdollahian also stressed that without a lasting halt to the fighting, "the situation risks worsening further and the region would not return to its pre-war state."