Iran's FM says Palestine central to regional security

Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on February 7 that the Palestinian issue is central to security and stability in West Asia, arguing that the international community’s response to the conflict is a test of its commitment to international law.

Speaking at the 17th Al Jazeera Forum on “The Palestinian Issue and Regional Balance in a Multipolar World,” Araghchi said Palestine should not be viewed solely as a regional or humanitarian matter, but as a cornerstone of sustainable security in the region, Caliber.Az reports per Iranian media. 

He described the situation in Gaza as exceeding the bounds of a conventional military conflict, citing large-scale civilian casualties and the destruction of vital infrastructure. Araghchi said such actions constituted serious violations of international law and amounted to genocide.

The Iranian foreign minister warned that what he described as Israel’s continued immunity from accountability was undermining global legal norms, risking the replacement of the rule of law with the use of force. He said this trend posed serious threats to peace and stability not only in Palestine but across the wider region.

Araghchi said decades of regional experience had demonstrated that unchecked actions, including violations of sovereignty, targeted killings and the expansion of military operations without international consequences, had contributed to growing instability in West Asia.

He also criticised what he described as discriminatory approaches to security and arms control, arguing that military dominance by one state does not guarantee security but instead deepens inequality and fuels instability.

Calling for international action, Araghchi urged support for legal accountability mechanisms and punitive measures, including sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel. He said a just and lasting solution would require an end to occupation, the return of Palestinian refugees, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds as its capital.

He concluded that sustainable stability could only be achieved through justice, accountability, the elimination of impunity, and confronting what he described as Israel’s expansionist policies.

By Sabina Mammadli