Tehran

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday (Sept 23) that Israel wanted to drag the Middle East into a full-blown war by provoking Iran to join the nearly-old conflict between Israel and Tehran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

"We do not wish to be the cause of instability in the Middle East as its consequences would be irreversible," President Pezeshkian told the press after his arrival in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the news agency Reuters reported. 

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"We want to live in peace, we don't want war. It is Israel that seeks to create this all-out conflict," Pezeshkian added. 

'Will defend any group that defends itself'

On being asked by reporters whether Iran would enter the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Pezeshkian said, "We will defend any group that is defending its rights and itself." He did not elaborate.

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Also read | Iran's Guards ban communications devices after pager explosions in Lebanon against Hezbollah

Pezeshkian's call to resolve the Middle East conflict through dialogue came after Israel unleashed an intense wave of air strikes against Hezbollah on Monday, making it the deadliest day in Lebanon in nearly a year of conflict between Israel and the Tehran-backed group.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced from towns and villages on both sides of the border by near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. Israel said it preferred a diplomatic solution that would have Hezbollah moved farther back from the border.

However, Hezbollah, which also says it wants to avoid all-out conflict, said that only an end to the war in Gaza would stop the fighting.

Lebanon says Israeli airstrikes kill at least 492

In the latest news from the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, the Israeli military said that it launched airstrikes against the Lebanese militant group on Monday, which Beirut said killed 492 people and sent tens of thousands fleeing for safety.

Also watch | World DNA: Israel says it struck about 1,600 Hezbollah targets

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Israel warned people in Lebanon to evacuate areas where it said Hezbollah was storing weapons.

"Israel's war is not with you, it's with Hezbollah. For too long Hezbollah has been using you as human shields," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday. 

(With inputs from agencies)