Iran does not want ‘new tensions’ in Mideast: Rouhani

Tehran, Iran | AFP | Iran does not want “new tensions” in the Middle East, President Hassan Rouhani told German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday, after Israel carried out strikes against what it called Iranian targets in Syria.

“Iran has always sought to reduce tensions in the region, trying to strengthen security and stability,” Rouhani told Merkel in a telephone call, according to a statement on the website of Iran’s presidency.

Rouhani did not mention Israel’s strikes early on Thursday in Syria, or those against the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, also on Thursday.

Israel has said its strikes in Syria were in response to the attacks against the Golan Heights, which it blamed on Iran.

But the chairman of Iran’s parliamentary committee on foreign affairs condemned Israel for carrying out the strikes in Syria.

“Israel has entered a dangerous game,” Allaeddine Boroujerdi said during a visit to the Portuguese capital Lisbon.

“The main purpose of these attacks, supported by the United States, is to divert public opinion from the behaviour of the American president (and) his decision to leave the agreement,” added Boroujerdi, referring to President Donald Trump’s decision this week to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Iran nuclear accord.