Iran calls for united Islamic response to Israel’s strikes on Hezbollah

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for a collective response from Islamic and regional countries against Israel following its strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

Pezeshkian emphasized the need for solidarity among Muslim nations, stating that "regional countries, Islamic countries must stand together to confront Israel," Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

In a pre-recorded interview aired on CNN’s *Fareed Zakaria GPS*, Pezeshkian directly placed the blame for the ongoing violence on Israel. He dismissed the idea that Hezbollah alone could defend against Israel’s advanced military capabilities. "Hezbollah by herself cannot stand against a country that is armed to the teeth," he said, highlighting the disparity in military strength between the two sides. 

The president stressed that a united front from Islamic nations was necessary to confront Israel's actions. "The regional countries, Islamic countries must sit together," Pezeshkian added, pointing to the need for an international Islamic conference to formulate a collective response.

The remarks were made just before a series of Israeli strikes late Friday that killed Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah. This attack came shortly after Israel's remote detonation of communication devices carried by Hezbollah members, causing dozens of casualties and disrupting their operations.

While the interview was recorded prior to Nasrallah's death, Pezeshkian warned that Iran would not hesitate to act if international bodies failed to hold Israel accountable. "If international organizations cannot make Israel sit down... then naturally we will give the appropriate response."

Hezbollah, a long-time ally of Iran, has been engaged in a conflict with Israel that escalated following Hamas’s incursion into Israel on October 7, which led to Israel's invasion of Gaza and has since resulted in heavy casualties and widespread devastation in the region.

By Khagan Isayev