In a recent meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi delivered a powerful condemnation of the United States and other Western nations for their unwavering support of the Israeli regime's actions in Gaza. The meeting took place in Tehran as part of the second meeting of the 3+3 regional platform, which includes Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, and Iran.
President Raisi expressed his deep concern about the ongoing crisis in Gaza, referring to it as a "horrendous crime against defenseless and innocent women and children." He pointed out that these actions are occurring with the direct and official backing of the United States and other Western countries.
The conflict in Gaza began following a surprise attack by Palestinian resistance groups on occupied territories in response to the Israeli regime's escalated actions against the Palestinian people. The Palestinian Health Ministry reports that the Israeli offensive has resulted in the deaths of over 5,000 Palestinians, including 2,055 children and 1,119 women, with more than 15,000 people sustaining injuries.
President Raisi also criticized recent statements by U.S. President Joe Biden during his visit to the occupied territories. Biden's remark that "If Israel didn't exist, we would have to invent it" was strongly condemned by Raisi, who argued that it signifies a willingness by the United States to disregard the suffering of Palestinian women and children to advance their own interests.
Furthermore, Raisi highlighted American efforts at the United Nations Security Council to present Israel's actions as a form of "self-defense." He called on Russia, with its influential presence on the international stage, to prevent the U.S. from achieving this goal.
Foreign Minister Lavrov expressed Moscow's commitment to fulfilling its agreements with Iran across various sectors, including economics, commerce, transportation, energy, and culture. He emphasized the growing regional cooperation between Iran and Russia within the 3+3 platform and stressed that enhanced collaboration among regional countries would serve their interests and development goals.
All participants in the meeting reaffirmed the importance of resolving regional issues without foreign interference, underlining their commitment to maintaining regional stability.
