Iranian President, Pope Francis discuss IOF aggression against Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
6 Nov 2023 03:12
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Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi calls on the Pope to leverage his revered status to pressure Western countries into working towards a ceasefire.

Vatican flag flies at half-staff during a minute of silence, at the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, Tuesday, March 31, 2020 (AP)

Over a phone call, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Pope Francis discussed the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza stressing that the teachings of all Abrahamic religions promote supporting the rights of the oppressed Palestinian people.

Raisi decried the horrific and unprecedented atrocities committed by the Zionist regime against Palestinians in Gaza. He described Israeli measures, which have resulted in around 10,000 including 4,000 children and 2,500 women.

Raisi called on the Pope to leverage his revered status to pressure the Western countries into working towards a ceasefire.

He emphasized that extending support to the oppressed people of Palestine is a necessary corollary of the teachings of all Abrahamic religions, including Christianity, further expressing his profound appreciation of Pope Francis' position, which advocates an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

The President reaffirmed the steadfast commitment of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the oppressed people of Gaza. He pledged to employ all diplomatic means at his disposal to swiftly put an end to Israeli aggression and provide the besieged Palestinian people with vital humanitarian aid.

In response, Pope Francis expressed his gratitude for his unwavering support for the Palestinian people. He echoed the urgency of bringing a halt to the ongoing violence and establishing a much-needed ceasefire in Gaza.

Pope Francis also vowed to employ all available means, in his capacity as the leader of the World's Catholics to bring an end to the aggression, preventing further loss of innocent lives in Gaza, particularly that of women and children.

This comes as part of diplomatic efforts by the Islamic Republic to garner pressure against the Israeli occupation and its Western backers into yielding to a ceasefire.

Earlier today, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian urged the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), in a written letter, to condemn the crimes of the Israeli occupation and to play a role in putting an end to the Israeli aggression against Gaza.

Iran has recently joined the organization which includes China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.

Last week, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said that the Zionist regime had "crossed all red lines" of international law in its genocidal campaign against Gaza.

In addition to diplomatic efforts, Tehran has consistently warned "Israel" and the West that the continuation of this genocidal campaign against Gaza would not go unanswered.

Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani warned on Sunday that Iran would launch a "serious strike" on the United States in the event that the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip does not cease.

The brigadier general stated that Iran's advice to the US is to end the war "immediately," and "ensure a ceasefire."

Similarly, in an exclusive interview with Al Mayadeen last week, the spokesperson of the Iranian Revolution Guard Corps, Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif said that if Israeli aggression against civilians in Gaza doesn't stop the whole region would explode.

Also, in an interview with Bloomberg, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned of ensuing new war fronts if the US continues its unconditional support for "Israel" amid its continuous massacres in Gaza.