Iran, Iraq Coordinate Efforts to Help Palestine

In the first leg of a tour of the regional nations, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian held a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Baghdad on Thursday.

Amirabdollahian conveyed the greetings of the Iranian president and said, “We are in Baghdad to have consultations in this field with regard to the developments in Palestine and Gaza.”

“It is no secret that we are facing the war crimes of the Zionist regime in Gaza against the people and ordinary citizens of Palestine. In a situation where the Zionist regime has completely besieged Gaza, cut off its water, electricity, and fuel, and is preventing the delivery of food and medicine, the US and certain countries are sending weapons to Israel and have allowed this criminal regime to kill Palestinian citizens and civilians in Gaza brutally,” he added, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.

Amirabdollahian also warned that in such a situation, any possibility can happen, and new events can be witnessed in the region.

The Iranian foreign minister said, “Officials of certain countries contact us and ask about the possibility of opening a new front in the region. We told them that our clear answer regarding future possibilities is that everything depends on the actions of the Zionist regime in Gaza.”

He added that the action of the resistance groups in the Al-Aqsa Storm operation was a totally Palestinian and spontaneous move, and the Westerners themselves also emphasize that Netanyahu’s extreme behavior created these conditions.

“Israel’s crimes continue, and no one in the region asks us for permission to open new fronts,” he underlined.

“We are in contact with the International Red Cross and the United Nations officials. Through them, we are trying to send food and medicine to the people of Gaza. We are also consulting and exchanging views with some countries in the region in this regard,” the top Iranian diplomat noted.

Amirabdollahian expressed gratitude to Iraq for its strong positions in support of Palestine and the people of Gaza and said, “Both the supreme authority and the Iraqi government, people and movements strongly support Palestine. That is indicative of Iraq’s correct and deep view of the Palestinian issue.”

“In my diplomatic contacts with the Secretary General of the United Nations and Joseph Borrell, I said that what happened was a reaction to the aggressive actions and extremism of the Netanyahu administration,” Amirabdollahian stated.

The top Iranian diplomat added that Tehran has requested the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to hold an emergency meeting of the OIC foreign ministers.

He emphasized that Iran would welcome and support any initiative of the Islamic countries to back the Palestinian nation.

It is definitely necessary to stop the crimes of the Zionist regime in Gaza, he noted, adding that the role of Iraq is also crucial in trying to achieve this goal.

Amirabdollahian also pointed to the security agreement between Iran and Iraq and emphasized the necessity of its full implementation.

He further called for joint efforts to develop relations between Tehran and Baghdad, especially in economic fields.

Sudani, for his part, said the Iranian foreign minister’s visit shows Iran’s renewed emphasis on the Palestinian issue. “Iran’s position on Palestine has been fixed and never changed,” he stated.

The premier added that the issue of Palestine is a cause related to belief and not a politicized one.

“Supporting Palestine shows the conscience of every Muslim and every free person worldwide,” he added.

Sudani said that Baghdad is not surprised by the Al-Aqsa Storm operation because the rights of the Palestinian people cannot be ignored. “It is wrong to think that the rights of the Palestinian people will be forgotten by normalizing relations with the Zionist regime.”

“Even if one seeks to speak from the perspective of the United Nations and the internationally agreed language, (it must not be forgotten that) dozens of resolutions have been passed in the UN regarding Palestine and against Israel. Israel has not adhered to any of them. The Palestinian people have been deprived of their most basic rights. Naturally, the Palestinian people start an intifada to restore their rights,” he stated.

Presenting a report on Iraq’s diplomatic efforts in relation to Palestine and in supporting the people of Gaza, he stressed that the Iraqi nation is a friend of the Palestinian nation.

Sudani added that Iraq supports holding an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to examine the issues of Gaza at the ministerial level and even heads of state.

“We definitely cannot be an observer of the situation in Gaza, and the views of the supreme authority of Iraq in this field are also clear. We and Iran will continue our efforts in this regard,” he concluded.

The Israeli regime has been pounding the Gaza Strip for a week. At least 1,537 Palestinians have been killed and 6,612 wounded in the Israeli airstrikes.