Japanese, Iranian FMs disucss bilateral ties, Middle East developments
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The two ministers discussed several issues, including the latest developments in the Middle East.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Japanese counter part Yoko Kamikawa hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UNGA in New York, on September 23, 2024 (Japan's MoFA)
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa met with her Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and discussed bilaterial ties, in addition to the increasing tensions in the Middle East.
"The two ministers exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East. Minister Kamikawa, while stressing the importance of avoiding exchange of attacks and cycle of violence, urged Iran to exercise maximum restraint," the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.
In September, "Israel" assasinated Hamas' political bureu chief and lead negotiator for the Gaza ceasefire, Ismail Haniyeh, while he was on an official visit to Tehran. Additionally, the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon was wounded in the Israeli pagers terrorist attack last week. Iran emphasized that it will retaliate, and that it has all legal rights to do so under international law.
Read more: Israeli aggression on Lebanon kills 356, over 1,246 wounded
Japan's top diplomat called on Tehran to "strongly urge restraint on" its allies, such as the Resistance in Lebanon Hezbollah and Yemen's Ansar Allah, the ministry added. Kamikawa also stressed on the critical importance of ensuring safe navigation in both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, according to the statement.
The discussion between the two officials also covered Iran's nuclear program and cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The voice of the Palestinians and Lebanese
Upon his arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to attend the 79th session of the UNGA meeting, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian criticized Western double standards, saying that they have resulted in the spread of global bloodshed and warfare.
“Instead of bloodshed, war, and massacres, we should build a world in which all humans can live comfortably, notwithstanding their color, race, ethnicity, and the region where they live,” he said.
“And unfortunately, the world we are currently living in is not like that. There are some double standards,” Pezekshian noted.
His statements come amid the United States and several Western nation's military and political support for "Israel" in the ongoing genocide in Gaza, as well as the occupation's aggression in the West Bank, Lebanon, and other countries in the region.
In that context, Araghchi sent a letter to Hezbollah's Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday, expressing his condolences for the martyrdom of Resistance leader Ibrahim Aqil and several of his fellow freedom fighters in the Israeli strike on Beirut southern suburb's last week, which also resulted in the martyrdom of tens of civilians.
Araghchi emphasized his duty to serve as the voice of the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples at the UNGA, condemning the crimes of the Israeli occupation entity, "which has begun to commit some of the most heinous acts of terrorism and genocide during its recent assaults."
"Israel" has once again "demonstrated its disregard for any moral or legal standards, pursuing its malicious goals even at the cost of jeopardizing the security of the region and the world," he said in his letter.
