Iran in diplomatic push to seek halt in violence

Iran in diplomatic push to seek halt in violence
by AFP Staff Writers
Tehran (AFP) Oct 13, 2024

Iran held a series of diplomatic talks on Sunday, with President Masoud Pezeshkian seeking support from France's Emmanuel Macron for a ceasefire in Lebanon, and the foreign minister visiting Iraq while on a regional tour.

According to a statement on Iran's presidential website, Pezeshkian and Macron discussed ways to secure a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel as the Iranian leader condemned Israel's "crimes" in Gaza and Lebanon.

Macron's office said he called on Pezeshkian to support "a general de-escalation and to use its influence in this direction with the destabilising actors that enjoy its support".

Iran backs Hamas, which is battling Israel in Gaza, and Hezbollah, which is fighting Israel in Lebanon.

Israel has vowed to retaliate against an Iranian missile strike on October 1, raising fears of the wars in Gaza and Lebanon morphing into an all-out regional conflict.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was meanwhile in Iraq on Sunday, a neighbour and ally of his government, as part of a series of visits in the region for talks on the wars in Lebanon and Gaza.

Araghchi said there would be "no red lines" in defending the country's people and interests, adding that efforts would continue to "contain an all-out war in our region".

Iran has said its launch of 200 missiles on Israel earlier this month was retaliation for the killing of Tehran-backed militant leaders in the region and a general in its Revolutionary Guards.

At a joint news conference with his Iraqi counterpart, Araghchi said in Iraq that his country was "fully prepared for a war situation ... but we do not want war, we want peace."

He also said Iran would continue consultations "to prevent the escalation of tension in the region and to work for peace" and a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.

After his visit to Iraq, Araghchi headed to Oman, IRNA state news agency reported.

On Thursday, he had been in Qatar, where he met Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, whose government has been mediating talks aimed at securing a Gaza ceasefire and has also called for a truce in Lebanon.

On Wednesday, Araghchi met Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan during his trip to the Saudi Kingdom.