"The world should know that if war escalates, its harmful effects will not be limited to the West Asia region; insecurity and instability could spread to other regions, even far away," Araghchi said in a speech broadcast on state television.
Iran's sworn enemy, Israel, has waged a devastating war in the Gaza Strip against the Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas since it launched its shock attack on Israel in October 2023.
Recently, Israel has shifted its attention to Lebanon, where since September it has been fighting a full-scale battle with Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group that is financially and militarily backed by the Islamic Republic.
On 26 October, Israel carried out air strikes on military sites in Iran in response to Tehran's 1 October attack on Israel, which in turn was in retaliation for the killing of Iranian-backed militant leaders and a Revolutionary Guard general.
Iranian officials said the 26 October Israeli attack killed four soldiers and caused "limited damage" to radar systems. Iranian media also reported 1 civilian killed.
Tehran then vowed to strike back despite the US and Israel warning against it.
Iranian President Massoud Peseshkian says a possible ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon could influence Iran's response.
"If they (the Israelis) accept a ceasefire and stop killing the oppressed and innocent people in the region, it may affect the intensity and type of our response," Pezeshkian said earlier this month.
An adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned against an impulsive response to Israel.
"Israel aims to carry the conflict to Iran. We must act wisely to avoid its trap and not react instinctively," adviser Ali Larijani told state television. | BGNES
