Amir Abdollahian: From the beginning, we did not seek to expand the war

according to the report of the international group Tasnim News, the full text of Amir Abdullahian’s interview with CBS News in Geneva is as follows:

Question: Today the American authorities announced that one of their warships in the Red Sea was directly targeted by a Yemeni drone. has taken. As we know, Houthi rebels are supported by Iran. Of course, Iran has always emphasized that it does not want the war between Hamas and Israel to expand in the region. What could this be a sign of? Meanwhile, the Houthis have promised that they will target American targets through the Red Sea. In your opinion, what message does this issue have for the people of the world – while Iran claims that it is not seeking to expand the war?

From the beginning of this crisis, we said that we do not seek to expand the scope of the war. Of course, the United States has repeatedly announced that it does not seek to expand the scope of the war. But contrary to these statements, we see that America has increased the intensity of the war through its extensive aid to the Israeli regime. The Houthis are not rebels, but they are an important part of the society and the current political system of Yemen. Yemen has its own policies. They make decisions and act within their interests. Of course, they clearly stated that they will not be indifferent to the genocide in Gaza.

Question: So You say that Iran supports the Houthis, but you do not accept responsibility for their actions?

Answer: We have close relations with all groups, parties and sectors in Yemen; Among other things, we have a balanced relationship with the Houthis and Ansar Allah, but the responsibility for the decisions that the Houthis and Ansar Allah make in Yemen and the decisions that Sana’a makes and announces with transparency is theirs. Of course, we have already warned that if the war crimes against Gaza and the West Bank continue, the expansion of the scope of the war is inevitable.

Question: What about groups attacking US interests in Iraq and Syria? Is Iran responsible for these attacks?

Answer: We are transparent. When General Soleimani was assassinated on Trump’s orders during the Trump era, Iran targeted the American Ain al-Assad base with 13 ballistic missiles, and we officially announced it and accepted responsibility for it. In the current situation of genocide and war crimes in Gaza, movements in Arab countries such as Syria and Iraq take decisions and take action in support of their fellow Arabs.

Question: It seems that you are saying that Iran supports groups such as the Houthis or groups in Iraq and Syria, but does not take responsibility for their actions?

Answer: The groups that have acted against America’s interests in Iraq and Syria have made their own decisions and based on their conclusions and decisions have taken action The American side has given us messages in this regard in the past days, and we have clearly stated that Iran does not have any proxy group in the region. But as for why these groups act against America, for example, in Iraq, this country was under the occupation of the American military for years. During the American occupation, more than one million and one hundred thousand Iraqis were killed. Groups were mobilized to fight ISIS in Iraq. Similarly, they were mobilized in Syria to fight ISIS. Well, they now make their own decisions and act. We told the American side clearly; The White House is now openly and openly on the side of the Israeli occupation regime. Now, from all American bases in the region, weapons of war, including prohibited weapons, are provided to the Israeli regime. This means that America is openly involved in the war against Gaza and the genocide in Gaza. Of course, the White House sends us a message and says that it does not seek to expand the scope of the war and tries to send humanitarian aid and stop the war in a humanitarian manner, but until this moment, America has never shown its will to stop the war, but has increased the intensity of the war. Is. America should accept responsibility for this.

Question: Did Iran play a role in preparing Hamas to carry out the October 7 operation? And was he aware of it?

Answer: We were not aware of this decision and action of Hamas. It was a purely Palestinian decision.

Question: Is it true that the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran told Hamas that since Hamas did not inform Iran before this action, then Iran will not enter the war?

Answer: We consider Hamas to be a liberating movement against occupation. In the framework of international law, the situation that exists in relation to the Israeli regime is the situation of the occupying power and the occupied country of Palestine. They have themselves in the logic of international law, and according to international law, the people of the occupied country can even engage in armed war to defend themselves. We are against the killing of women and children anywhere in the world, but we consider the actions of Hamas as a Palestinian liberation group against the occupation completely within the framework of international law.

Question: So you want to say that what Hamas did is justified; Killing civilians, women and children and taking them hostage?

Answer: We are against killing women and children in any We are in the world. But suppose 1400 people were killed in the occupied Palestinian territories. Subsequently, Netanyahu announced that we will take revenge. So far, they have killed 14,500 Palestinian women, children and civilians in Gaza and the West Bank. What is the relevance here?

Question: Is this the justification of Hamas action on October 7th?

Answer: As a Palestinian liberation movement, Hamas has the right to legitimate defense against the occupation. Hamas has captured dozens of Israeli soldiers. But the Israeli regime has killed 4,400 children in Gaza and the West Bank so far. Why don’t you talk about Palestinian women and children? The Israeli regime has killed 50 of your journalist colleagues in bombings. See both sides of the coin.

Question: What about rape? Is Hamas’ aggression against Israeli civilians justified?

Answer: There was no aggression. Defense against the phenomenon of occupation. What is the name of the aggression that is being carried out by Israel? What is the name of destroying 40% of Gaza? Is it rape or friendship? Is the displacement of more than a million people in northern Gaza called aggression or not? Israel is an occupying power. International law, which happened to be written in America and the West, grants the right to the citizens of the occupied country to carry weapons and defend themselves. They have gone to fight with the military and capture them. We do not approve the killing of women and children anywhere, but you also condemn the killing of more than 8,000 Palestinian women and children in less than 40 days in Gaza and the West Bank.

Question: Are you implying that Hamas made a strategic or moral mistake by killing civilians? Answer: Hamas has used its right to legitimate defense to respond to 75 years of rape and killing of women and children by the Israeli regime. For example, when Germany invaded France, what was the impression of the West? Did they recognize the right of legitimate defense for Germany? Hamas has the right to legitimate defense and has used this right based on international law. Now I ask you; Killing 14,500 civilians within 40 days is compatible with what logic? Has the principle of proportionality in international law been observed by the US and the Israeli regime? What is America doing next to Israel?! Why all bases… (Reporter: My job is not to justify anything. I am a reporter. My job is to ask questions. Question: Let me go back to the question I asked before. Is it true that the supreme leader of the revolution Islami told Hamas that since you did not inform and warn us (about the October 7 operation), therefore we will not enter the war?

Answer: This is not true.

Question: Is this still possible? to go to war?

Answer: We warned four weeks ago that if the war and genocide continue in Gaza find, the expansion of the scope of the war is inevitable. This has already happened in the region. As you say, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen have entered the war. This shows that the war has expanded, but how Iran acts will do, we will make a decision about each issue at our appropriate time. Our assessment is that the resistance forces in Palestine and in the region can determine the fate of this war. Of course, we continue our political support for the resistance against occupation.

Question: Mr. Minister, how much Iran It is far from making an atomic bomb; Years, months or weeks?

Answer: Now I think the situation is different. Now the main question of the international community is why the minister of the Israeli regime requested that Israel use a nuclear bomb against the residents of Gaza? In the recent meeting of the heads of Islamic and Arab countries, the final resolution states that Israel is a serious threat to peace and security, because it has both nuclear weapons and is inclined to use nuclear weapons against Gaza. Therefore, the question of when Israel should be denuclearized is now raised in the international community. The main threat is there. But Iran’s nuclear program is completely peaceful. We have no intention or plan to achieve a nuclear bomb.

Question: I want to know about your close friend Qassem Soleimani. I know that you were a very close friend of (General) Qassem Soleimani. What effect did his assassination by America have on you?

Answer: Sardar Soleimani is our national hero. He took extraordinary measures in the fight against terrorism in the region. It played a very big role in establishing peace and security in the region. I believe that if it were not for the efforts of General Soleimani and the efforts of the people and armed forces of Iraq and Syria in the fight against terrorism, today Europe and even America would not be safe. He was a great man of peace and security in the world. Trump made a big mistake.

Question: You must still be very angry about him being killed?

Answer: I feel sorry. He worked hard for peace and security in the world.

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