Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian confirmed that his country will respond vigorously to any targeting of Iranian forces in Syria, emphasizing that the fate of the Israeli war on Gaza will be determined by resistance factions. In an interview with the Financial Times, Amir Abdollahian noted that, according to his information, no Iranian forces present in Syria have been targeted so far, but he stressed that "if that happens, the response will be severe."
When asked about the factions within the resistance axis, the Iranian minister explained that groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Ansar Allah in Yemen, and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq are movements of resistance in the region, highlighting their "independent identity" and that they "do not take orders from Iran, but have good relations with it." He added that "Israel represents the United States by proxy, but we do not have any group representing us by proxy in the region."
Amir Abdollahian pointed out that "Hezbollah has entered a phase of war with Israel," asserting that "American messages to the party have the opposite effect; they will not only not deter him, but will also strengthen his resolve in decision-making." He further stated that "the war has indeed expanded in the region," due to the fact that "the Yemeni army is attacking occupied territories with missiles and drones," and that "Hezbollah is fighting a third of the Israeli army."
Regarding the U.S. deployment of aircraft carriers in the region, Amir Abdollahian explained that "military experts see that the arrival of these American ships is not in Washington's interest, as it increases the possibility of targeting its naval fleet." He reported that "over the past forty days, messages have been exchanged between Iran and the United States through the American Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, indicating that Tehran does not want the war to expand." However, "any possibility can be considered due to the approach that the United States and Israel are taking in the region, and the ongoing crimes against the people of Gaza and the West Bank," according to Amir Abdollahian, who clarified that "a broader conflict may be inevitable."
The Iranian Foreign Minister revealed that the Palestinian resistance in Gaza "has never asked" Iran to enter the war, stating: "They have everything; they produce missiles and drones themselves and are capable of producing the military equipment they need within Palestine." He said that "the fate of this war will be determined by the resistance factions, not Israel, which cannot bear a war of attrition, based on what we know and following meetings with leaders in the region," adding that "there is no way to release the Israeli prisoners except through diplomacy."
Earlier, the Iranian Foreign Minister confirmed that there is no possibility whatsoever for the Israeli entity to win the war on Gaza, stressing that the aggression only increases the costs incurred by the American government in its support for "Israel."
