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Iran’s Foreign Minister warned on Thursday that if Israel's assault on Gaza persists, the US will “not be spared from this fire”.
“I say frankly to the American statesmen, who are now managing the genocide in Palestine, that we do not welcome expansion of the war in the region,” Hossein Amirabdollahian told the 193 member states at the UN General Assembly in New York.
“But if the genocide in Gaza continues, they will not be spared from this fire.”
He added that “West Asia is our region” and that Iran does not compromise “when it comes to our home’s security”.
US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that Washington has not ruled out retaliation after the Pentagon said American forces had been attacked by Iran-backed militants at least 13 times in the Middle East in recent days.
“My warning to the Ayatollah [Ali Khamenei] is that if they continue to move against those troops, we will respond and he should be prepared,” Mr Biden told reporters.
During his speech at the UN, Mr Amirabdollahian disclosed that Hamas is prepared to release civilian hostages but that “the world should support the release of 6,000 Palestinian prisoners”.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran stands ready to play its part in this very important humanitarian endeavour, along with Qatar and Turkey," said.
The UN General Assembly is scheduled on Friday to vote on a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.
The draft ceasefire resolution circulated by the Arab Group, which includes that UAE, featured calls for accountability, compliance with international humanitarian law and unrestricted aid.
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi called on member states to “unite for justice” by voting for the resolution.
“Let's unite for the rights of every Palestinian and every Israeli child to live free from the horrors of war … free from fear and looking for a life full of promise and full of opportunity.”
Israel's UN ambassador Gilad Erdan noted that this is not a war against the Palestinians but rather war with “the genocidal jihadist Hamas terror organisation”.
“Israel will continue combating the genocidal terrorists committed to our destruction,” he said. “We will not rest until Hamas is obliterated and our hostages are returned home. And we will bring them home.”
UN General Assembly resolutions lack legal binding authority, unlike Security Council resolutions.
Inside the Gaza Strip – in pictures
