Iran warns of potential 'war expansion,' says conflicts could spread beyond the Middle East

Iran's Foreign MinisterAbbas Araghchi issued a warning on Saturday (Nov 9) that the conflicts between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the Jewish stateand Hezbollah in Lebanon might extend beyond the Middle East.

In a speech aired on state TV, Araghchi warned, “The world should know that in case of the expansion of war, its harmful effects will not be limited only to the West Asia region; insecurity and instability can spread to other regions, even far away.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian suggested that the possibility of a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon could influence Iran’s actions.

“If they (the Israelis)... accept a ceasefire and stop massacring the oppressed and innocent people of the region, it could affect the intensity and type of our response,” Pezeshkian stated at the beginning of this month.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Ali Larijani, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, advised caution in Iran’s response to Israel.

“Israel aims to bring the conflict to Iran. We must act wisely to avoid its trap and not react instinctively,” Larijani said on state television.

On October 26, Israel launched airstrikes on military installations in Iran as a response to Tehran's attack on Israel earlier on October 1. Iran’s strike was in retaliation for the deaths of Iran-supported militant leaders and a Revolutionary Guards general.

Iranian officials reported that Israel's October 26 attack resulted in the deaths of four soldiers and minor damage to radar equipment. Additionally, Iranian media noted that a civilian casualty occurred.

Despite warnings from the United States and Israel, Tehran has pledged to retaliate. Last week, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei promised a powerful response against both Israel and the US for their actions toward Iran.

"The enemies, whether the Zionist regime or the United States of America, will definitely receive a crushing response to what they are doing to Iran, the Iranian people, and the resistance front," Khamenei said.

(With inputs from agencies)