Iran's foreign minister renews call for Gaza, Lebanon cease-fires on Syria visit
damascus, syria — Iran 's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi renewed his call for cease-fires in both Gaza and Lebanon on Saturday as he held talks with his country's Syrian allies.
“The most important issue today is the cease-fire, especially in Lebanon and in Gaza,” he told reporters.
“There are initiatives in this regard, there have been consultations that we hope will be successful.”
Araghchi's visit to Damascus, his first since he took office in August, comes almost a year after the Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel, triggering war in Gaza.
The conflict has also drawn in Iran's Lebanese ally, Hezbollah and on September 23 Israel sharply intensified its campaign against the militant group.
“The purpose of my trip to Damascus is to continue consultations regarding the developments in the region,” Araghchi said.
His meetings in the Syrian capital followed a visit to Beirut Friday during which he voiced support for a truce in Lebanon acceptable to Hezbollah "simultaneously with a cease-fire in Gaza."
Araghchi traveled to Damascus by air after Lebanon said an Israeli airstrike Friday severed the main international highway linking the two countries.
Israel said its strike was aimed at preventing the flow of weapons to Hezbollah from neighboring Syria.
Iran has been a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad throughout the civil war that erupted in 2011 following the suppression of antigovernment protests.
“The most important issue today is the cease-fire, especially in Lebanon and in Gaza,” he told reporters.
“There are initiatives in this regard, there have been consultations that we hope will be successful.”
Araghchi's visit to Damascus, his first since he took office in August, comes almost a year after the Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel, triggering war in Gaza.
The conflict has also drawn in Iran's Lebanese ally, Hezbollah and on September 23 Israel sharply intensified its campaign against the militant group.
“The purpose of my trip to Damascus is to continue consultations regarding the developments in the region,” Araghchi said.
His meetings in the Syrian capital followed a visit to Beirut Friday during which he voiced support for a truce in Lebanon acceptable to Hezbollah "simultaneously with a cease-fire in Gaza."
Araghchi traveled to Damascus by air after Lebanon said an Israeli airstrike Friday severed the main international highway linking the two countries.
Israel said its strike was aimed at preventing the flow of weapons to Hezbollah from neighboring Syria.
Iran has been a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad throughout the civil war that erupted in 2011 following the suppression of antigovernment protests.