Iran firmly dismissed European nations’ attempts at mediation amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East, asserting its right to strike back at Israel.
“These calls are politically biased and unreasonable, as they embolden a regime [Israel] to commit further atrocities in the region,” stated Nasser Kanaani, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, during a press conference in Tehran.
Kanaani emphasized that Iran does not require external advice or permission to safeguard its security and territorial integrity.
European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, had urged Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to avoid further military escalation in the Middle East.
However, Pezeshkian reportedly responded that Israel was responsible for the current crisis and should be held accountable.
To truly prevent further conflict, he argued, the West should condemn the Israeli government and stop overlooking what he termed as war crimes.
Tensions in the Middle East have been on the rise since the targeted killing of two prominent opponents of Israel two weeks ago.
In response, Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia announced plans for large-scale retaliatory strikes against Israel, leading the Israeli military to maintain a heightened state of alert.
U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters on Tuesday that he believed a Gaza ceasefire could potentially deter Iran from launching retaliatory airstrikes.
“That’s my expectation, but we’ll see,” Biden remarked. He acknowledged the difficulty in reaching a ceasefire agreement but expressed his determination to continue efforts.
Meanwhile, Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S., who are mediating negotiations between Israel and Hamas, have urged both parties to resume talks on Thursday.
As the international community awaits Iran’s response, Cyprus has completed preparations for a possible evacuation of foreigners from Lebanon and Israel, according to Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos.
Cyprus, the closest EU member state to the Middle East, is ready to accommodate a large number of evacuees, including citizens of other EU countries and third-country nationals, provided they continue their journey to their home countries.
In Larnaca, a port city on the Mediterranean island, beds have been set up in schools, and hygiene facilities are ready.
During the 2006 Lebanon War, Cyprus temporarily sheltered around 60,000 people, and similar plans are in place now, including the use of ferries to bring evacuees to Cypriot ports.
However, Ersin Tatar, the leader of the Turkish Cypriots in the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus, criticized the Greek-administered government’s preparations, calling them irresponsible and warning that Cyprus could become a target for retaliatory attacks from Middle Eastern groups.
Tatar accused Israel of attempting genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and claimed that Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides was supporting the war interests of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Kombos dismissed Tatar’s accusations as unfounded, clarifying that the preparations were solely for humanitarian aid.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when nationalist Greek Cypriots, with the backing of the military dictatorship in Athens, attempted to unite Cyprus with Greece, leading to a coup on the island.
Although the entire island has been an EU member since 2004, EU law is only applied in the southern part.
