Building hosting Iran’s Foreign Ministry in the capital, Tehran. Photo: PressTV/file photo.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry says that it will back any decision by the Palestinian people and resistance regarding the US-backed ceasefire proposal for Gaza, while warning the international community about the plan’s dangerous dimensions and Israel’s history of bad faith.
In a statement, the ministry said Iran has always supported initiatives aimed at halting war crimes and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip and initiatives promoting Palestinian self-determination. The ministry cited the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the legal and moral responsibility of states to support the legitimate struggle of Palestinians to achieve freedom.
The statement said that decisions over any ceasefire or political settlement must rest with the Palestinians themselves, including the armed resistance.
It said Tehran welcomes any decision by them that “entails stopping the genocide of Palestinians, the withdrawal of the occupying Zionist army from Gaza, respect for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, the entry of humanitarian assistance and the reconstruction of Gaza.”
Tehran also warned that a cessation of hostilities would not absolve international actors of their duty to pursue legal accountability.
The ministry stressed that stopping the violence must be accompanied by “legal and judicial” action to hold the regime accountable, and to “identify and prosecute the commanders and perpetrators of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, with the aim of ending the decades-long impunity of the Zionist regime.”
Concluding its statement, the ministry expressed hope that arrangements will be made for the immediate delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza’s civilians and announced Tehran’s readiness to participate in relief efforts.
The statement was referring to a ceasefire plan for Gaza proposed by US President Donald Trump, which demands the rapid release of captives held in Gaza, staged Israeli withdrawals, and the creation of a transitional administration.
On Friday, Hamas submitted its response to the 20-point proposal forwarded by Trump, with the group agreeing to hand over administration of the besieged territory to Palestinian technocrats and free all Israeli captives.
The Gaza-based resistance group’s response said it was willing to “immediately enter” peace negotiations through mediators.
In a video address following Hamas’s statement, Trump said he believes Hamas is ready for a “lasting peace” and called on Israel to “immediately stop bombing Gaza.”
Egypt announced on Saturday that indirect peace talks between the Israeli and Hamas negotiators on the implementation of Trump’s 20-point deal are scheduled to start in the Egyptian resort port city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday.
(PressTV)
