TEHRAN, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Türkiye have warned against the consequences of Israel's prolonged strikes against Gaza and potential attack on Lebanon.
In a phone call on Sunday, Iranian Caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the latest developments in Gaza, Israeli "crimes" against Palestinians, and bilateral ties, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday.
Bagheri Kani slashed Israel's "brutal crimes" against people in the Gaza Strip and Israel's threats against Lebanon.
He stressed that Lebanon's resistance was completely ready to counter the Israeli threats, noting that any act of aggression by Israelis against Lebanon would be costly for them.
The acting Iranian minister said nine months had passed since the eruption of the conflict in Gaza on Oct. 7 and Israelis were still incapable of returning the situation to what it was before that.
He emphasized that Israelis should know any new mistake by them in Lebanon would lead to the unfolding of a new situation at the regional level against them, and they would not be able to compensate for their strategic mistake even by resorting to "crimes."
Fidan, for his part, praised Iran for its efforts towards resolving the issue of Palestine and condemned the Israeli "crimes" against Gazans, saying it is very important for Ankara and Tehran to continue cooperating on Palestine's issue and maintaining regional security and stability.
The two officials also discussed bilateral cooperation including that in rail transport and regional affairs, calling for enhanced cooperation between Tehran and Ankara in the Caucasus region within the framework of the 3+3 format, comprising three Caucasian states of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, and their three neighbors of Russia, Türkiye, and Iran. ■
