Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday for bilateral talks and a summit, saying he wanted cooperation from Asian countries to stop “Israeli crimes” in the Middle East.
Pezeshkian began his first visit to Qatar as president, criticizing Israel over the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Iran blames Israel for Haniyeh’s assassination on July 31, and Israel has neither claimed nor denied responsibility for Haniyeh’s death.
Since then, Israel has assassinated Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon, and sent troops into southern Lebanon in what it called a limited operation. Iran responded on Tuesday with a barrage of missiles at Israel.
“We also want security and peace. It was Israel that assassinated Haniya in Tehran,” Pezeshkian said upon his arrival in Qatar, Iran’s Student News Network reported.
“Europe and the United States said that if we do not act, there will be peace in Gaza within a week. We were waiting for them to be at peace, but they increased the killings. Ta.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country faces conflicts with both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, said Israel would respond to Iranian missile attacks.
Iranian state media quoted Pezeshikian, who is leaving for Qatar on Wednesday, as saying: “If the Zionist regime (Israel) does not stop its crimes, it will face a harsher reaction.”
Pezeshkian told state television that his first objective in Doha was to discuss bilateral relations and sign an agreement with the Qatari government. He is also scheduled to attend the Asia Cooperation Dialogue Summit.
“The second goal is to discuss how Asian countries can stop Israeli crimes in the region and prevent their enemies from causing mayhem in the Middle East,” Pezeshkian said. .
Qatar has been one of the mediators to reach a cease-fire agreement in the Gaza Strip, but negotiations have stalled.
