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Middle East
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (right) and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaking during a press conference on October 19, 2024. Photo: AA
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Israel is trying to “draw Iran into a war,” Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday, as Tel Aviv has continued its attacks on Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
“Israel's aggressive stance is forcing Iran to take legitimate steps,” Fidan said during a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.
Fidan said that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “constantly opening new fronts in the region” and “trying to drag Iran into the war.”
“The risk of war spreading to the entire region should not be underestimated,” he said.
Araghchi accused Israel of wanting such a regional conflict.
“The possibility of war in the region is always serious and no one other than the Zionist regime wants that to happen. We want to reduce tensions… we are ready for any scenario,” Araghchi said.
Araghchi has been on a tour of regional capitals, consulting with Tehran’s allies as Israel continued to target leaders of Iran-backed forces in the region.
An Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut late last month killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, marking a significant escalation and greatly inflaming tensions between Israel and neighboring Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq - countries where Iran’s “axis of resistance” has considerable sway.
Israel on Wednesday killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be the mastermind behind last year’s October 7 attack on Israel that sparked the current conflict.
Earlier this month, Iran launched around 180 ballistic missiles toward Israel. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the attack was in response to the killing of Nasrallah, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan.
Israel has since vowed to retaliate. The IRGC warned that it will respond “painfully” if Israel targets Iran.
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