Iranian authorities are reportedly urging Lebanese Shiite organization Hezbollah and other armed groups to refrain from provoking the United States to prevent further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, as reported by The Washington Post, citing sources from Lebanon and Iraq.
An Iraqi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated, "Iran is doing everything possible to prevent the war from spreading and escalating to the point of no return."
While publicly warning of readiness to respond to threats, Iranian leaders are said to be privately advocating for caution. Iranian officials allegedly conveyed to Hezbollah members in Lebanon that they "do not want to give Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an excuse to launch a larger war in Lebanon or anywhere else." In Iraq, Iranian representatives reportedly emphasized that renewed conflict in the region "could undermine the pace of negotiations to withdraw US troops from the country."
A US official remarked, "Iran may have realized that its interests [in the region] will be violated if it allows its supporters unrestricted attacks on US and coalition forces."
On February 9, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian reiterated Iran's strong support for Lebanon and Islamic resistance forces in the region. He emphasized Hezbollah's capability to defend Lebanon in coordination with the Lebanese army and government. Abdollahian suggested that any new military ventures by Israel would spell the end of Netanyahu's political career, opining that the victors in the current Middle East conflict will be resistance groups and the Palestinian people, while warmongers will face defeat. He labeled the US as the primary instigator behind the escalation in the region.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: آرش (Arche)/Creative Commons 3.0
Based on materials from TASS