US has ‘direct, undeniable’ role in Israeli war crimes in Gaza: Iran

Iran has lambasted the United States for its “undeniable” role in the Israeli war crimes against Palestinians, saying Washington has equipped Tel Aviv with new weapons to carry out atrocities in the genocidal war on Gaza Strip.

Speaking at a weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani said instead of taking a stance to prevent the calamity, the US has practically sided with the occupying regime, which has killed thousands of Palestinians in order to compensate for its defeat in the war on Gaza.

“The US has a direct and undeniable role in the Zionist regime’s war crimes against the Palestinian people. It is clear that Operation Al-Aqsa Storm was a legitimate and defensive action by the Palestinian nation against the occupiers and that it exposed Israel’s fake claim to possess security capability.”

“The new round of attacks started when the US Defense Secretary [Lloyd Austin] was present at the Zionist regime’s war cabinet… the US has provided new weapons and equipment to the Zionist regime and has filled its hands to continue crimes.”

Kan’ani also referred to remarks by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who reaffirmed on Saturday that Washington’s support for Israel is “not negotiable.”

“Today, the US government is a side to the war. However, it contradicts claims by Americans who say we do not want the expansion of the war and warned Israel not to kill civilians,” he added.

Israel waged the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 15,523 Palestinians, mostly women and children, injured 41,316 others, and left vast swathes of Gaza in ruins.

It has also imposed a “complete siege” on Gaza, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to more than two million Palestinians living there.

‘Action against Iran, military advisory forces will not go unanswered’

Also in his remarks, the top diplomat warned that action against Iran’s interests and security, as well as the country’s military advisors in Syria, will not go unanswered.

In a statement on Saturday, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)  said two of its members, Mohammad Ali Ataee Shoorcheh and Panah Taqizadeh, were martyred by the Israeli regime while on an advisory mission.

It said the two IRGC officers were martyred against the backdrop of the relentless savagery of the “fake and child-killing” Israeli regime in Gaza.

Touching on recent Western accusations about Iran’s missile program, Kan’ani also said some parties want to divert public opinion and cover up “the bitter reality in Palestine” by raising deviant issues and empty concerns.

In a statement last week, Britain, France, and Germany condemned the unveiling of a new ballistic missile variant by Iran on November 19 and said Iran continues to develop its missile program despite repeated international calls to halt it.

Iran obtained ‘guarantees’ from US on unfrozen funds

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman was asked about a bipartisan measure passed by the US House of Representatives to block Iran from accessing its $6 billion funds unfrozen and transferred to Qatari banks a few months ago.

“The plan to block Iran’s money needs the approval of the Senate and the signature of the US president. The US government must honor its commitments in an agreement with Iran. We got necessary guarantees in this regard as the US has shown that it is not reliable,” he said.

Kan’ani further emphasized that the Iranian government has access to the funds, saying, ‘We can use them according to our needs.”

Back in August, Iran and the United States agreed to a Qatar-brokered deal to secure the release of some $6 billion of Iranian funds that had remained blocked in two South Korean banks since 2018 under the pretext of US sanctions.

The money was successfully transferred to accounts held by six Iranian banks in Qatar’s Ahlibank and Dukhan Bank.