TEHRAN: Iran dismissed a G7 statement on Thursday that demanded that Tehran cease assisting Hamas and refraining from measures that might “destabilise” the Middle East.
Iran rejects G7 calls: Tehran’s remark was made the day after the G7 advanced nations’ foreign ministers met in Tokyo and declared their support for “humanitarian pauses and corridors” in the Israeli-Hamas conflict.
Since Hamas broke over the heavily guarded border on October 7 to kill over 1,400 people—the majority of whom were civilians—and take over 240 prisoners, Israeli officials have launched frequent airstrikes on the Palestinian territory of Gaza.
According to the health ministry administered by Hamas, more than 10,500 people have died in the subsequent Israeli bombing assault in Gaza, with women and children making up the majority of the casualties.
The G7 urged Iran to avoid taking further actions that destabilize the Middle East, including support for Lebanese Hezbollah and other non-state actors, and to refrain from providing support for Hamas.
On Thursday, Nasser Kanani, the spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, strongly condemned the statement released by the group, which consists of the US, UK, Germany, Canada, Italy, France, and Japan.
Iran claimed to have undertaken non-stop efforts to stop the military attacks of the Zionist aggressor regime (Israel) on the defenseless citizens in Gaza.
“Anticipated to fulfill their international duty, the Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting in Tokyo was expect to denounce the violations of international law and human rights in Gaza by the Zionist regime.”
Iran sees it as “its duty to support the resistance groups,” according to President Ebrahim Raisi, but he urged that they operate on their own.
Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has made support for the Palestinian cause a central tenet of its foreign policy and does not recognise Israel.
