Iran accuses US of ‘encouraging’ Israel to kill Palestinians and commit ‘cruel acts’ in Gaza
- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi says American aid is helping Israel to ‘commit cruel acts of neglect’ against Palestinians
- His comment comes as the US accuses Tehran of having a hand in recent attacks against US troops in Iraq and Syria by pro-Iranian militias
Gunmen from the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas stormed across Gaza’s border with Israel on October 7, killing about 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and taking over 240 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
“The aid from the United States to the Zionist regime [Israel] is encouraging them to kill and commit cruel acts of neglect against the Palestinian people,” Raisi said at a joint news conference in Tehran with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
“We believe that the bombings must stop as soon as possible, that a ceasefire must be declared immediately and that aid be provided to the oppressed and proud people of Gaza,” Raisi said.
“These horrible crimes against humanity are a genocide, which is carried out by the Zionist regime [Israel] with the support of the United States and certain European countries.”
