Iran’s Foreign Minister says the regional countries share concerns about the possible spillover of the Israeli war on Gaza and Lebanon into West Asia.

Upon his arrival to Turkey on Friday, Abbas Araghchi noted that he addressed escalating tensions during his regional tour that saw him in Jordan and Egypt earlier this week. 

“Considering the current situation in the region and the Zionist regime’s attacks on Lebanon that followed the attacks on Gaza, and the dangerous circumstances that exist in the region, we have held talks with the regional countries,” he told reporters.

Referring to his recent trips to Jordan and Egypt, Araghchi said “Now, we have come to Turkey to continue the talks.”

“Currently, there is a common understanding of the danger of the conflict in Gaza and Lebanon, the displaced people, and the issue of the possible expansion of the war into the region. And in fact, it is a dominant concern,” he said.

Araghchi noted that he will meet with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the country’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan during his current trip to Istanbul.

Referring to Iran-Turkey good ties and their previous talks on regional issues, he said, “Due to the current developments in the region and the dangers that threaten the region…, today’s talks will be more important than ever.”

Egypt talks ‘very productive’: FM

After his meetings with Egyptian officials on Thursday, Araghchi said his talks with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on the situation in the region were “very frank and direct.”

He noted that the two sides agreed on the de-escalation of regional tensions and preventing the spread of the war to the region.

Araghchi also noted that bilateral issues between the two countries were also discussed, adding, “I think that there is a better perspective now.”

“We have common concerns and interests and it’s natural that there are also disputed issues. Today’s talks were very productive.”

Since early October 2023, Israel has been waging brutal two-front aggression that has killed at least 42,438 people in the Gaza Strip and 2,350 others in Lebanon so far.

Over the same period, the usurping regime has also assassinated several resistance leaders, including Hamas’s political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

In support of Palestinians in Gaza, resistance groups have launched retaliatory attacks on Israeli targets and vowed to keep fighting until the Gaza onslaught ends.

In response to Israel’s acts of assassination against the resistance front’s top leaders, Iran carried out Operation True Promise 2 earlier this month. During the operation, Iran launched some 200 high-speed ballistic missiles at the Israeli entity’s military, espionage and intelligence bases.

Tel Aviv has threatened to attack Iran and Tehran has vowed to give a “crushing” response to any provocation.