Iranian president: Hezbollah can't stand alone against Israel

"Hezbollah cannot stand alone against a country that defends itself, is supported and receives supplies from Western countries, European countries and the United States," Peseshkian said during an interview with CNN.

He urged the international community to "not allow Lebanon to become another Gaza" in response to a question about whether Iran would use its influence in Hezbollah to call for restraint.

On September 23, more than 550 people, including 50 children, were killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, according to the country's health ministry.

The Israeli military said it killed "a large number of Hezbollah fighters when it struck some 1,600 sites in southern and eastern Lebanon on the morning of September 24.

Iran called on the UN Security Council to take immediate action against the "insane" Israeli escalation.

"Iran will not remain indifferent. We support the peoples of Lebanon and Palestine," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X.

The Israeli strikes came less than a week after coordinated sabotage attacks on Hezbollah communications devices killed 39 people and wounded nearly 3,000 others.

Iranian media blamed Israel for the apparent move toward all-out war.

"The Zionist regime has pressed the button for all-out war," said the ultra-conservative Javan newspaper, while its rival Kayhan asked, "Has the big war begun?"

The governmental daily newspaper "Iran" warned that "the region is on the verge of a huge explosion.". The reformist newspaper Etemad wrote that "peace in Lebanon hangs in the balance.".

Pezeshkian, who is in New York for the annual session of the UN General Assembly, accused Israel of warmongering.

"We know better than anyone that if a major war breaks out in the Middle East, it will not benefit anyone globally. It is Israel that is seeking to create this wider conflict," he said.

Pareshkian further explained that "Iran has never started a war in the last 100 years" and "does not seek to cause insecurity."

However, he insisted that the country "will never allow any country to drag us into anything and threaten our security and territorial integrity." | BGNES