TEHRAN, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Thursday condemned Israel's "crimes" in Gaza and its southernmost city of Rafah, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Friday.
In a phone call, Bagheri Kanai said the past few days have witnessed "the unfolding of bitter and disastrous events against the displaced Palestinians in Rafah, which killed tens of innocent and defenseless women and children."
He condemned the "brutal attacks," saying Israel was seeking to compensate for its political, legal and diplomatic defeats through "committing crimes" in Rafah.
The Saudi foreign minister, for his part, described the developments in Gaza and Rafah as "bitter," saying, "Israel knows no limit in perpetrating its criminal acts."
During the talks, the two sides also discussed consular affairs and stressed the necessity to continue consultations between the two countries.
Israel has launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas carried out a surprise attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people. Israel has so far killed over 36,000 Palestinians and injured more than 80,000 others, according to the figures released by the Gaza health authorities. ■
