"Israel is provoking Iran into the conflict", says President Pezeshkian

Tehran: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, without directly naming Hamas or Hezbollah, expressed his commitment to supporting any group that is defending its security and rights.

According to foreign news agencies, the Iranian president stated, "We do not seek war, but by supporting Hezbollah, Israel is provoking Iran into the conflict."

President Pezeshkian further emphasized that Iran desires peace in the region and will not become involved in any conflict in the Middle East that could destabilize the region and be impossible to withdraw from.

However, without mentioning Hezbollah, he reiterated that Iran will continue to stand by any group that is struggling to defend its security and rights.

It is important to note that after Gaza, Israel has now turned its artillery towards Lebanon. The brutal bombings in the last 24 hours have claimed nearly 600 lives and left 1,600 wounded.

Earlier, explosions involving thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah resulted in around 100 deaths and more than 3,000 injuries.

In retaliation, Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets into Israeli territory from Lebanon, igniting fires in several locations and halting flight operations at airports.