Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has urged the international community to take a firm stance against Israel’s plans to displace Palestinians from their homeland, stressing the need to hold the occupying entity accountable for decades of crimes committed in the occupied territories.

Speaking during a meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres on 24 February, on the sidelines of the Disarmament Conference and the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Araghchi described the ongoing Israeli aggression against the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria as alarming. He called for global opposition to Israel’s colonial expansion, including the forced displacement of Gaza’s population and the annexation of the West Bank.

The Iranian minister reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to its peaceful nuclear programme, rejecting Western pressure and intimidation tactics as illegal and illegitimate. He underscored the importance of upholding the principles of the UN Charter and ensuring that no state exploits the Security Council’s mechanisms for its own interests.

For his part, Guterres reiterated the necessity of multilateralism and respect for international law, expressing deep concern over the situation in West Asia. He emphasised the urgency of protecting Palestinian rights and halting the forced displacement of Gaza’s population. He also stressed the importance of continued dialogue between Iran and other relevant countries on the nuclear issue.

This meeting took place amid rising tensions, as Israeli forces escalated their assaults in the occupied West Bank, resulting in the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians and the destruction of critical infrastructure. Since launching its genocidal war on Gaza on 7 October 2023, Israel has intensified its attacks, killing at least 923 Palestinians in the West Bank and approximately 49,000 in Gaza.