Extracts: In an interview with NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell, Iran’s vice president for strategic affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, echoed President Masoud Pezeshkian’s comments and said his government was ready to work with other countries to end the conflict in Gaza
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“We want to move in a more peaceful, more stable world for our citizens and for the citizens of the world We don’t seek war but we will defend ourselves” Zarif said
Zarif also said Iran had the right to retaliate at a time of its choosing over what Zarif called a clear violation of Iran’s sovereignty when the head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated in the capital, Tehran, in July 2024
Iran has blamed Israel for orchestrating the bombing. Israel has not publicly confirmed it was behind the attack.
After the assassination, Zarif said,
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“we were asked by the international community to exercise restraint in order to bring about an end to the war in Gaza But the promise of a cease-fire deal never materialized" Zarif said
