Iran’s president says Israel is dragging region into war

Masoud Pezeshkian told journalists in New York, where he is attending the UN General Assembly, that Israel is provoking Iran to join the conflict in support of Hezbollah, reports Aljazeera.

When asked whether Iran would come to the Lebanese group’s defence, he said Tehran would “defend any group that is defending its rights and itself”.

But he added that Iran wants “to live in peace”.

“We do not wish to be the cause of instability in the Middle East as its consequences would be irreversible,” said Pezeshkian, a more moderate politician who was elected in July on promises of a pragmatic foreign policy.

“We don’t want war… It is Israel that seeks to create this all-out conflict,” he added._Agencies.