Iran's president discusses Palestine with leaders of Oman, Iraq, Qatar

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN, Iran (AA) - Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi had telephone conversations with leaders of Oman, Iraq and Qatar on Saturday, discussing the situation in Palestine.

In a phone call with Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, Raisi urged Muslim countries to take a "decisive and prompt action" to stop the "Israeli killing machine," his office said.

The conversation between the two leaders came as the latest confrontation between Israel and Gaza-based Palestinian resistance group Hamas completed one week.

Iran's president described Operation Al-Aqsa Flood launched by Hamas last week as "a sword that came out of its sheath" following a surge in Israeli provocations in recent months, adding that it upset the Israeli-Western calculations.

He said Israel wants a "mass massacre" in the Gaza Strip by cutting off water and electricity and entry of food and medicine, and forcing people to leave their homes, referring to the ultimatum given to people in northern Gaza.

Raisi said the "unlimited support" provided to Israel by Western countries has "made the situation more complicated and dire," adding that the situation in Gaza must be put on the agenda of the UN, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Also on Saturday, Iran's president spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani, stressing the importance of ending the siege, creating safe passages for Palestinian civilians, and allowing aid to reach people.

Raisi said preventing genocide in the besieged coastal enclave "requires immediate action of all Islamic countries," his office said in a statement.

He asserted that Iran is "ready to take joint action" with Iraq and all other Islamic countries in this regard, the statement noted.

Iran's president also had a phone call with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Saturday, with Palestine and the situation in Gaza figuring prominently in their discussions.

According to Qatari media, the two leaders discussed international issues of common interest, particularly concerning the developments in Palestine, with the Qatari leader stressing the need to de-escalate the situation.

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian landed in the Qatari capital Doha on Saturday as part of his four-nation regional tour that took him to Baghdad, Damascus and Lebanon earlier.

The main agenda of the diplomatic tour has been discussions with regional officials regarding the situation in Palestine as tensions continue to escalate.