Action against Israel will be tempered if massacre of ‘oppressed and innocent people of the region’ stops, Pezeshkian says 

Teheran would temper its response to the recent Israeli strikes on Iranian military sites in the event that Israel accepts a cease-fire in Gaza and Lebanon, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian indicated.

“If they (the Israelis) reconsider their behavior, accept a cease-fire, and stop massacring the oppressed and innocent people of the region, it could affect the intensity and type of our response,” Pezeshkian said during a cabinet meeting on Nov 3, according to Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency, or IRNA.

But he added that Iran “will not leave unanswered any aggression against its sovereignty and security”, IRNA reported.    

"Today, all countries in the region have come to this conclusion that Islamic Republic of Iran seeks to establish peace and stability while Israel is seeking to exacerbate crisis and war in the region," Pezeshkian was quoted as saying.

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Pezeshkian, meanwhile, lashed out at double standards of the United States and European countries in regard to the spread of crisis spreads in the region, according to Mehr News Agency, another Iranian media organization.  

Commemorating the National Day of Fighting Global Arrogance on Nov 3, Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran has never initiated a war and has never advised any country to go to war. It has always been the US that has ignited war in various parts of the world, Pezeshkian said.      

Arhama Siddiqa, a research fellow at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), noted that there has been a careful balancing act of Iran, given Iranian emphasis on economic recovery and sustainable development in the post-COVID-19 era. 

“Domestically, the Iranian government must project strength to maintain deterrence and reassure its population of its resolve amidst external pressures. This response serves a dual purpose: it communicates Iran's strategic positioning to its domestic audience while demonstrating to the international community that, although its priority may be stability, it won’t shy away from assertive measures when necessary,” said Siddiqa.  

READ MORE: Iran's supreme leader vows 'teeth-breaking response' against Israel, US

Meanwhile, Turkiye, along with 53 other signatories, has sent a joint letter to the UN Security Council urging it to take immediate action in stopping the flow of arms to Israel, Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported.

Speaking at the Third Turkiye-Africa Partnership Ministerial Review Conference in Djibouti, which was streamed by Turkish broadcaster TRT World, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the international system has failed to stop the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in the Middle East, citing Israel’s continued “genocidal crimes against the Palestinian people”.

“This limitless aggression is threatening world regional stability and international order. … We launched an initiative at the UN that calls for arms embargo against Israel,” said Fidan, adding that Turkiye appreciates “African countries that stand with Palestine”.

“We all have a moral responsible to push forward a two-state solution to ensure fundamental rights of the Palestinian people. The application of South Africa to the International Court of Justice against Israeli genocide is a strong message from Africa in this respect,” he added.

ALSO READ: Arab foreign ministers urge Israel's complete withdrawal from Gaza

Siddiqa from ISSI said Turkiye’s move marks a “commendable” stance. While its intentions align with a broader desire for peace, it is clear that a collective, multilateral approach is essential for any real shift, she said, noting that Ankara itself faces its own complex challenges with terrorism.

“Moreover, the underlying issue remains Israel’s strategic backing from the US, a primary factor preventing meaningful consensus on Gaza,” said Siddiqa, adding that without a shift in support from “Israel’s main backer”, the dynamics “are unlikely to change on Gaza”.

Both the US presidential candidates, incumbent Vice-President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump, have promised to end the conflict in Gaza should they win the tightly watched, neck-and-neck US election this week.

“For now, Turkiye’s stand, though admirable, serves as one piece of a much larger puzzle. In the current landscape, where Israel is bolstered by unwavering US support, genuine progress toward peace requires broader, international intervention,” Siddiqa said.      

READ MORE: Israeli authorities probe suspected Gaza intelligence leak by Netanyahu aide

Israeli forces attacked the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza in the evening on Nov 3, severely wounding a child and damaging the facility’s nursery, while an Israeli drone also fired on the gates and walls of the nearby Indonesian Hospital, according to the latest reporting from Al Jazeera on Nov 4.

Contact the writers at mikegu@chinadailyhk.com