Raisi, Putin, and Erdogan discuss growing tension in West Asia

TEHRAN- In two separate calls with his Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi discussed the Israel-Gaza war, the increasing tension in the region, and steps needed to be taken for de-escalation.

In a call between Iranian and Russian presidents, Raisi warned about the continued Zionist regime’s “war crimes”, saying the continued siege and massacre of women and children as well as the looming ground attack on Gaza will lead to a long and multi-front war. They also exchanged views about issues surrounding the South Caucuses.

In a post on social messaging platform X, Erdogan’s office also said the Turkish leader had told Raisi that Turkey is working to get humanitarian aid into Gaza and repeated his call to refrain from steps that could exacerbate the situation.

Raisi denounces apathy to Israel’s horrible actions in Gaza

During a cabinet meeting on Sunday evening, Raisi also said that Israel’s callous action to forcibly evict residents of Gaza from their homes violates all norms of humanitarianism and international law.

Raisi vehemently condemned the silence of some nations and international organizations in the face of Israel’s unparalleled and horrific atrocities against the oppressed and defenseless people of Palestine.

Those who remain silent in the face of Israel’s atrocities must be held accountable and face the consequences of history, he continued.

He reaffirmed the Islamic Republic’s unequivocal and firm position in backing the Palestinian people.

The president cautioned that failing to act quickly to halt Israel’s assault on Gaza’s residential areas and assist civilians in getting access to necessities will have negative repercussions.

He also urged all nations to uphold their obligations in light of the current situation in Gaza, where the Israeli occupation regime continues to wage barbaric strikes against people.

‘Displacing Gazans from homeland neither practical nor compatible with international law’

In response to a phone call from Emmanuel Macron, President Raisi also strongly condemned the criminal attacks by the Zionist regime on the Gaza Strip and expressed concern about the situation in the besieged enclave.

Raisi said Israel is committing “war crimes” by cutting off water, electricity, fuel, food, and medicine to the people of Gaza, as well as blindly and extensively bombarding non-military targets by even using phosphorus bombs.

The president emphasized the urgent need to end the bombing of residential areas and said that forced displacement of Gaza residents from their homeland is neither practical nor compatible with international principles and laws. The president also criticized the French government for preventing the supporters of the Palestinians from holding a rally in France, saying Paris should not allow France to be remembered in history as a supporter of the child-killing Zionists.

“If the Zionist regime seeks to compensate for its defeat through the continuation of these crimes against Palestinians,” the dimensions of the war will expand, the Iranian president said.

Israel started its onslaught on October 7 after resistance groups launched multi-pronged Operation al-Aqsa Storm, the largest military operation against the occupying regime in decades inside territories occupied before the establishment of Israel.

The Israeli shelling of Gaza has resulted in well over 2,750 fatalities, including over 700 children, and over 9,800 injuries, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Israel’s military issued a statement on Friday ordering Gaza City inhabitants to leave the region within 24 hours. This move is seen as a prelude to an occupation ground assault.

The military would be operating “significantly” in the city over the next several days, it said, and civilians wouldn’t be allowed to return until an additional announcement was made. This amounted to more than a million people living north of the Gaza Strip.