Palestinian-Israeli Crisis Has Turned Mideast Into ‘Powder Keg’ Ready to Blow, Iran Warns

Israel and its allies have accused Iran of “broad complicity” in Hamas’ surprise hit-and-run attacks in southern Israel earlier this month, with Israeli jets striking Iranian-backed militias in Lebanon and Syria – a key Iranian ally. So far, Tehran has not taken the bait to escalate, joining Russia and China in calling for a halt to the violence.

Top Iranian diplomats and military officials are concerned about the risks of the Palestinian-Israeli crisis widening into a regional war, and have slammed US efforts to expand the conflict’s geography.

“The circumstances in the region resemble a powder keg with the possibility of being exploded or getting out of control. We hope to see an end to war crimes against the people of Gaza as soon as possible,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told reporters Thursday in Jeddah, where he attended an emergency meeting of the executive committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

“In the bilateral meetings, there was serious criticism of US President Biden; first of all, because a hospital in Gaza has been targeted by Zionist bombs and more than a thousand civilians, patients and medical staff have been martyred but Biden visits the region in support of the warmonger,” Amir-Abdollahian said, referring to Tuesday’s deadly al-Ahli Arab Hospital bombing in Gaza City.

Amir-Abdollahian expressed special thanks to Saudi Arabia for hosting the emergency OIC meeting, and characterized last week’s first-ever phone call between Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman as an ‘important step at the right time’.

Separately on Thursday, speaking by telephone with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Baqeri similarly warned that the Palestine-Israel conflict threatens to escalate into a regional conflagration.

“The continuation of the Zionist regime’s crimes and direct support and assistance provided to it by some countries have further complicated the situation and could lead to the involvement of other players,” Baqeri warned.

Shoigu and Baqeri reiterated the need for an urgent ceasefire, and reportedly agreed to cooperate on the provision of humanitarian assistance.

In a separate call with Qatari Defense Minister Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, Baqeri called for an immediate halt to the transfer of US weapons to Israel.

The United States on Wednesday vetoed a Security Council resolution calling for “humanitarian pauses” to Israel’s Gaza operations, citing Tel Aviv’s right to “self-defense,” with a Russian proposal calling for an immediate ceasefire and a halt to attacks against civilians also rejected by Washington and its allies.

President Raisi slammed the US move to veto the resolution, characterizing it as a “double oppression” against Palestinians and humanity, and expressing hope that “the blood of the oppressed Palestinian martyrs will definitely shatter the current world order and establish a just system in the world.”

Earlier in the week, Raisi outlined to Brazilian President Lula da Silva Iran’s three-point vision for relieving regional tensions, including a halt to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, a ceasefire and “the immediate lifting of the blockade” against the Strip.

Iranian officials’ moderate position amid the Palestinian-Israeli flare-up contrasts sharply with statements by Israeli, US and European officials over the past week regarding the Islamic Republic’s role in the crisis, ranging from allegations of Iranian advance knowledge of or involvement in Hamas' surprise October 7 attack, to claims of “broad complicity” and support, to the purported involvement of “proxy commanders.”

Iran has not shied away from expressing support for Hamas’ operations inside Israel, but has forcefully rejected any and all claims of direct involvement. “Those who say what the Palestinians did was caused by non-Palestinians have not yet gotten to know the Palestinian people and make wrong calculations,” Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said last week.