Although Tehran has long supported Hamas, Iranian officials say their country was not involved in Saturday’s militant attack on its arch-enemy, Israel.
Nevertheless, the United States fears that a second front could open up on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon if Hezbollah, another well-armed Islamist group backed by Iran, intervenes.
“Officials from some countries are approaching us and asking about the possibility of a new front opening (against Israel) in the region,” Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani. Shia Sudan).
“We are telling them that our clear answer regarding future options is this: everything depends on the actions of the Zionist regime in Gaza,” he said, according to a statement from Iran’s foreign ministry.
“Even now, Israel’s crimes continue, and no one in the region asks for our permission to open new fronts,” the minister said.
Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, invading its territory and launching rocket attacks. Israel carried out retaliatory strikes on the Gaza Strip. Hamas militants killed 1.2 thousand people in Israel. people, mostly civilians, and took about 150 hostages. Israeli strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip claimed more than 1,400 lives. people’s lives.
Since Saturday, the West has been cautious about Iran, but its leaders have warned Tehran in no uncertain terms against intervening in the war.
US President Joe Biden (Joe Biden) said on Wednesday that he “made it clear to the Iranians: Be careful”.
H. Amir-Abdollahian will travel to Lebanon from Iraq. The Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said on Wednesday it had fired rockets into Israel, which had shelled southern Lebanon.
There were similar reports earlier this week.
Speaking to his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi appealed to “all Islamic and Arab countries” for “serious convergence and cooperation to stop the Zionist regime’s crimes against the oppressed Palestinian people.”
Hamas is the Palestinian militant group that rules the Gaza Strip and has been involved in several wars with Israel since taking over the Gaza Strip in 2007. The group has been recognized as a terrorist by Israel, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and some other countries.
Hamas is supported by Iran, financing the acquisition of weapons, supplying them and providing military training. Hamas has a political office in Qatar, where some of its leaders are based.
2.3 million people live in the Gaza Strip. people, but Israel, with the help of Egypt, has imposed a blockade on the territory since 2007 – it has restricted the entry of goods into the territory and their departure from it by water, sea or air, as well as the ability of the Palestinians themselves to leave the territory, except for a few tens of thousands of workers.
Israel’s military announced earlier Thursday that it was preparing for a ground offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but the country’s political leaders have yet to make a decision.
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What impact do you believe Iran’s cautious approach will have on its relationships with other regional allies in the Middle East?
**Interview with Dr. Fatima Jafari, Middle East Political Analyst**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Jafari. With the recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East following the Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent retaliations, how is Iran positioning itself in this complex situation?
**Dr. Jafari:** Thank you for having me. Iran has indeed taken a cautious approach in light of the recent events. While they have long supported groups like Hamas, Iranian officials are distancing themselves from the attack, claiming they were not involved. This strategy appears to be aimed at maintaining a level of plausible deniability while also watching potential developments that could lead to a wider conflict.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned plausible deniability. How do you see Iran’s stance toward Hezbollah in this context?
**Dr. Jafari:** Iran has significant influence over Hezbollah, and as tensions continue, there’s speculation about whether Hezbollah might open a new front against Israel. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, warned that future actions depend entirely on Israel’s behavior, which suggests that Tehran may encourage Hezbollah to retaliate if it feels Israel escalates its military operations in Gaza or against Palestinians.
**Interviewer:** The U.S. has issued warnings to Iran against intervening. How effective do you think these warnings will be?
**Dr. Jafari:** Historically, U.S. warnings have had a mixed record in deterring Iranian actions in the region. While Tehran is aware of the potential repercussions of escalating its involvement directly, it is also motivated by its support for the Palestinian cause. The delicate balance is whether Tehran believes that supporting Hezbollah or other factions justifies the risks of igniting a larger conflict with Israel and its allies.
**Interviewer:** What implications does this situation have for regional stability, particularly with the ongoing struggles in Gaza and Lebanon?
**Dr. Jafari:** The implications are quite serious. Any further military action from Hezbollah could drag not only Israel into a broader conflict but also involve other regional actors and powers, which would further destabilize the region. We might see an escalation in retaliatory strikes, and it’s crucial for neighboring countries to engage diplomatically to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Jafari, for your insights on this complex and rapidly evolving situation.
**Dr. Jafari:** Thank you for having me. It’s essential to watch these developments closely, as they could shape the future of the Middle East.
