Iran Condemns Israel’s Assault on Rafah
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran strongly condemned the Zionist regime’s military attack on the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza.
In a statement on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said the Israeli strike, launched in spite of all international warnings and the world’s fierce opposition, reveals the ferocity of the rogue Zionist regime, which does not honor any international norms and is the main source of threat to international peace and security.
“This move by the (Israeli) regime has been taken to render the international efforts at the cessation of war and ending the genocide in Gaza futile and with the sole purpose of serving the individual and collective interests of the Zionists,” he said.
Describing an immediate and unconditional end to the war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as the key to the restoration of calm and security to the region, Kanaani urged that all international actors should pressure the Zionist regime.
The Israeli regime and its main sponsor, namely the US government, are definitely responsible for the crimes and bloodshed in Rafah and must be held accountable for the atrocities, the Iranian spokesman added.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran once again calls on the international legal and judicial institutions to expedite the prosecution of the apartheid Zionist regime’s officials for their anti-human crimes and bring them to justice,” Kanaani stated.
His comments came after the Israeli forces seized control of Gaza’s Rafah border crossing, cutting off a vital route for humanitarian aid and potential sanctuary for civilians from a building offensive.
The Israeli military said on Tuesday that it had seized “operational control” of the Gaza side of the border post, which links the besieged enclave with Egypt. The closure of the crucial passage and positioning of tanks in the center of Rafah is seen as a demonstration of Israel’s determination to press on with an assault on the southern city despite ongoing truce talks.
The 401st Brigade of the Zionist regime entered the Rafah crossing early on Tuesday, closing a route vital for the aid entering Gaza and any civilians able to flee the fighting to Egypt.
The operation came amid an overnight assault on eastern parts of the city. Warplanes pounded residential homes, killing at least 12 people.
The assault comes despite Hamas having said on Monday that it had agreed with the terms of a truce deal hammered out by mediators.
At least 34,789 people have been killed and 78,204 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7, 2023.