Iran warns of “far-reaching consequences” if Israel does not stop

Written by Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Iran warned in a social media post on Saturday that if Israel’s “war crimes and genocide” were not stopped, the situation could spiral out of control with “far-reaching consequences.”

The post by Iran’s mission to the United Nations on

“If the war crimes and genocide committed by the Israeli apartheid regime are not stopped immediately, the situation could spiral out of control and have far-reaching consequences – the responsibility of which falls on the United Nations, the Security Council and the states that lead the Council towards a dead end.” The Iranian mission to the United Nations was published.

Israel is preparing on Saturday to launch a ground attack on the Iran-backed Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip, after telling Palestinians living in the densely populated area to flee south toward the closed border with Egypt.

Israel pledged to eliminate Hamas in response to the attack launched by the Palestinian Islamic group a week ago. Hamas stormed Israeli towns, killing 1,300 people and taking dozens hostage – the worst attack on civilians in Israel’s history.

Israeli aircraft and artillery have already subjected Gaza to the heaviest bombardment it has ever seen, putting the Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians, under complete siege. Gaza authorities say more than 2,200 people were killed.

The United States is working to keep Iran out of the conflict and broader international diplomacy is focused on preventing it from spreading — especially to Lebanon — and sparking a regional war.

The heavily armed, Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah group clashed with Israel across the Lebanese border several times last week in the fiercest confrontations since they fought a month-long war in 2006.

UN Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian in Beirut on Saturday, the United Nations said. Al Jazeera reported that Abdullahian then met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar.

When asked about the Axios report, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said: “All of (Wenslund’s) meetings were to discuss diplomatic efforts to release the hostages, secure humanitarian access and prevent the conflict from spilling over into the wider region. This includes his recent meetings.” In Lebanon.”

Israel’s mission to the United Nations declined to comment on the Axios report or Iran’s social media post.

(Reporting by Michelle Nicholls; Editing by Paul Grant and Chizuo Nomiyama)