The Iranian president, on his visit to Qatar, seeks to galvanize opposition against Israeli ‘atrocities’

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian cautioned of a robust retaliation from Tehran in response to any additional Israeli acts and endeavored to garner support from Asian nations during his visit to Qatar on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian came in Qatar one day subsequent to Iran launching multiple ballistic missiles at Israel, as Israel intensified its conflict with Tehran’s proxy Hezbollah by deploying troops across the border into Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he would retaliate against Iran following the missile attack on Tuesday.

Pezeshkian stated, as he departed for the trip, that “should the Zionist regime (Israel) persist in its transgressions, it will encounter more severe repercussions,” according to Iranian state media.

He subsequently confirmed this at a joint press conference in Doha with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, stating that if Israel engages in a particular manner towards Iran, Tehran will retaliate more forcefully.

Pezeshkian asserted that the United States and European nations should advise Israel from destabilizing the region.

Pezeshkian also condemned Israel over the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Palestinian militant organization Hamas, on July 31. Iran attributes the assassination to Israel; however, Israel has not acknowledged nor refuted responsibility.

Since that time, Israel has executed an assassination of Hezbollah’s leader in Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah, and has conducted strikes against Lebanon.

We desire security and tranquility. Pezeshkian stated upon his arrival in Qatar, as reported by Iran’s Student News Network, that Israel was responsible for the assassination of Haniyeh in Tehran.

The Qatari emir announced during the press conference that Doha will persist in its mediation endeavors to resolve the nearly year-long conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Qatar and other international mediators have been negotiating a ceasefire accord for Gaza; however, the discussions have reached an impasse.

The Iranian president will participate in a summit of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue states in Doha.

He informed Iranian state television of his desire to discuss “how Asian nations can avert Israeli transgressions in the region…and impede adversaries from inciting turmoil in the Middle East.”