Iran: Tehran Not a 'Bystander' if Political Solutions Aren't Found in Gaza
The Facts
On Sunday, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian suggested Tehran will not be a bystander to the Israel-Hamas conflict if a political solution is not found regarding Israel's operations in Gaza.
Though he expressed optimism that "political efforts will prevent the war from expanding," Amir-Abdollahian stated that Iran could not remain a "spectator" to the situation if it were to continue.
The Spin
Pro-Iran narrative
Unlike the Western nations, Iran has been working on de-escalating the conflict. However, Israel's actions against Gaza must stop or the war could spill across borders. The responsibility and far-reaching consequences of Hezbollah and other actors joining the battle to protect the Palestinians directly fall on the US and Israel.
Anti-Iran narrative
Tehran, which supports both Hamas and Hezbollah, shouldn't attempt to join the Israel-Hamas war or exploit the situation in Gaza, as any further escalation in the Middle East would be catastrophic. An all-out diplomatic push must be made to keep Iran on the sidelines.
