Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian stated that armed factions allied with Tehran are prepared to take action if the Israeli war in Gaza continues. In an interview with American National Public Radio conducted in New York on Friday, Abdollahian mentioned that he had met with "leaders of factions from Lebanon and Palestine" in recent weeks and listened to plans that are "much stronger and deeper than what you have witnessed." He explained, "Two weeks ago, I visited the region and met with some leaders of countries and faction leaders in Lebanon, as well as Palestinian factions... What I learned from their plans is that their fingers are on the trigger."
He emphasized that "a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip will have dire consequences for Israel," confirming, "We have not sent new forces to Syria or other parts of the region, but we are not merely observing." Abdollahian warned that if the U.S. continues its unilateral support for the Zionist entity, new fronts will be opened against Washington, adding that a ground attack on Gaza would have severe repercussions for Israeli occupation.
He further stated, "If this situation continues, and the killing of women, children, and civilians in Gaza and the West Bank persists, then anything is possible." He noted that "they have enough rockets, missiles, and drones, and can obtain them easily from anywhere." Additionally, he remarked, "They have everything needed to produce their own weapons and have specialized training, which is why they decided to carry on with this process."
Abdollahian indicated that Iran provides "only political support" to Hamas, but in response to a question about whether he denies arming Hamas, the minister stated that he was only referring to "the current situation," adding that Hamas currently has sufficient weapons. However, the Iranian minister reiterated, "We do not want this conflict to spread. In fact, we advise everyone and encourage them to move towards ending war crimes as soon as possible. However, the situation remains complex. It is difficult for our region to overlook the killing of 7,000 civilians due to the Israeli regime's bombing. This is the picture we see now in the region, and due to the continued crimes of the Israeli system, the entire region has turned into a powder keg."
In this context, Iranian state media later quoted Abdollahian as saying that Iran had not sent new troops to Syria, Iraq, or the region recently. He added, "But we have not been mere spectators to what is happening." The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that there were casualties among Iranian-affiliated factions due to U.S. strikes on faction positions in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor the previous night.
