Italy hopes Iran will pressure proxies to de-escalate Mideast tension

​​​​​​​By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - Italy’s foreign minister said Tuesday that Rome hopes Iran would exercise influence on its proxies to de-escalate Mideast tensions.

Antonio Tajani “reiterated the Italian government's strong concern, also on behalf of the G7 partners, for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza as in Lebanon,” according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry that was released after he met his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on the sidelines of the 79th UN General Assembly in New York.

Tajani told Araghchi that Italy hopes “Tehran will exercise its influence on the groups in the region, to call them to moderation in all quadrants: Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and the Red Sea," as he underlined Rome’s strong commitment to preventing further escalation.

Also expressing condemnation and strong concern about the transfer of weapons from Iran to Russia, Tajani urged Iran to “review any decision in this regard,” according to the statement.

The Israeli army has launched waves of deadly airstrikes on Lebanon since early Monday, killing more than 560, including 95 women and 50 children, and injuring 1,835 others, according to Lebanese authorities.

"The majority of the victims in the Israeli attacks since Monday morning are defenseless civilians in their homes. This refutes the enemy's allegations of targeting fighters," according to Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, which has killed more than 41,400 victims, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas last Oct. 7.

The international community has warned against the strikes, as they raise the specter of spreading the Gaza conflict regionally.​​​​​​​