Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that Iran welcomes any country seeking to halt Israel's war crimes in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, while condemning the United States' military support for Israel, which has escalated tensions in the Middle East.
Baghaei made the remarks at a weekly press conference in the Iranian capital Tehran, stating that Iran's Foreign Ministry has been engaged in intensive mediation with multiple countries in the region.
"Iran always welcomes any country seeking to halt Israel's commission of war crimes and acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon," Baghaei said.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed on Monday that the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile defense system has been deployed in Israel.
Regarding the U.S. delivery of the THAAD system to Israel, Baghaei stated that U.S. support has made Israel "more aggressive". Iran has repeatedly stressed that any aggressive actions by Israel will be met with a firm response from Iran.
"The provision of the THAAD system is a continuation of the comprehensive support that the United States and certain European countries have provided to the Israeli regime over the past year. Iran believes that countries in the region all understand the sensitivity of the current situation, and will not allow the use of their land and airspace to attack other countries," Baghaei said.
Baghaei condemned the fact that with the support of the United States, Israel is instigating war in the region and escalating the conflict at all costs, resulting in a continuous escalation of tensions in the region.
In response to Israel's threats to attack Iranian nuclear facilities, Iran has already sent a protest letter to the United Nations Security Council, urging the council to intervene in Israel's attempts to undermine world peace.
Iran welcomes any country's efforts to stop Israel's war crimes: spokesman
Iran welcomes any country's efforts to stop Israel's war crimes: spokesman
Iran welcomes any country's efforts to stop Israel's war crimes: spokesman
A Chinese envoy stressed the need for global cooperation to promote international nuclear arms control efforts amid unprecedented and formidable challenges faced by the international nuclear disarmament process, while addressing a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting on nuclear weapons on Monday.
During the thematic debate on nuclear weapons at the 79th session of the UNGA, Shen Jian, Chinese Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs, stated that the international nuclear disarmament process is encountering unparalleled challenges stemming from the lack of strategic mutual trust among major powers, escalating geopolitical tensions, and prolonged regional conflicts.
Therefore, there is a need for all countries to jointly work towards reducing nuclear risks, advancing nuclear disarmament, and preventing nuclear proliferation, Shen noted.
According to the Chinese envoy, it is necessary to deescalate regional tensions and end hostilities promptly, reduce the role of nuclear weapons in national security policies, cease the provocative deployment of strategic forces to the forefront, adhere to a practical and feasible path of nuclear disarmament, maintain an objective and rational stance on nuclear transparency issues, and promote international efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.
"Both the symptoms and root causes of the prominent risks and challenges in the nuclear field should be addressed. Being obsessed with the Cold War mentality, hyping up major power competition, and inciting bloc confrontation will only lead the international nuclear arms control process into a dead end. The international community should uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, adhere to true multilateralism, respect each other's legitimate security concerns, and work together to promote the international nuclear arms control process," Shen said.
As the current coordinator of the cooperation mechanism of the five nuclear-weapon states, China hosted an expert-level meeting in New York on October 7 to start substantive work during its tenure. China will also continue its efforts to enhance dialogue and cooperation among the five nuclear-weapon states, Shen said.
China calls for global efforts to promote int'l nuclear arms control process
