Iranian president criticizes West for supporting Israel in Gaza war

Speaking in Baghdad (Iraq) on his first foreign trip since taking office, Mr. Pezeshkian said: "The Israeli entity is carrying out massacres against women, children, youth and the elderly. They bomb hospitals and schools."

"All these crimes were committed using European and American ammunition and bombs," he said without elaborating.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at the government palace in Baghdad, Iraq, September 11. Photo: AP

President Pezeshkian's visit to the Iraqi capital Baghdad is of great significance for both countries.

For Iran, relations with Iraq are important for economic, political and religious reasons. Meanwhile, Iraq is trying to balance its relationship with Iran, which supports powerful Shiite militias in the country, and with the United States, which maintains a 2,500-troop force in Iraq to fight the remnants of the extremist Islamic State (IS) group.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said the two neighbors signed 14 memoranda of understanding to boost ties on September 11. He also pledged that Iraq's airspace would not be used to attack the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Iraq also needs a close relationship to maintain Baghdad's supply of natural gas imported from Iran to meet its electricity needs.

Mr Pezeshkian hopes the visit will strengthen ties between Tehran and Baghdad as regional tensions increasingly threaten to drag both countries into the increasingly widening conflict in the Middle East.

Ngoc Anh (according to AP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tong-thong-iran-chi-trich-phuong-tay-vi-ung-ho-israel-trong-cuoc-chien-o-gaza-post312022.html