Neither Israel nor US will be able to obliterate Hamas: Iran foreign minister

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has warned Israel and the US that they would never be able to realize their goal of wiping out Hamas even if they spend a decade to fight the Palestinian resistance movement.

"Neither Israel nor the US, even if they spend another 10 years in Gaza, will be able to obliterate Hamas," Amir-Abdollahian said while addressing the Doha Forum in Qatar via video conference on Monday.

Amir-Abdollahian added that it was wrong to assume that the Hamas military operation, which started on October 7, triggered the Israeli onslaught on Gaza as it was rather the continuation of the Zionists' 75-year aggression against Palestinians.

It is clear that the fighting has already been expanded to the Lebanese and Yemeni fronts, he emphasized, referring to operations conducted by the Yemeni military and the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement in retaliation for the Israeli massacre in Gaza.

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

According to the Gaza's health ministry, the death toll of the Palestinians who have been killed since the start of Israel's brutal aggression has risen to 18,205, mostly women and children, while more than 49,645 have been wounded.

Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under the rubble in Gaza, which is under “complete siege” by Israel.

Elsewhere in his address, Amir-Abdollahian once again reiterated Iran’s opposition to the so-called two-state solution to the Palestinian issue, saying it would not help solve the conflict.

“Israel has occupied the Palestinian land and we believe that a two-state solution will not help resolve the Palestinian issue. In the Palestinian land, only a Palestinian government should be formed based on a referendum,” Amir-Abdollahian said, noting that such a referendum should be held with the participation of the original inhabitants of Palestine, including the Jews.

The top Iranian diplomat also slammed the US move to veto a UN resolution calling for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

Washington’s use of the veto power in support of Israel's continued crimes in Gaza proves the US’ unwavering, full support for the regime, Amir-Abdollahian pointed out.

On Friday, the US used its veto in the United Nations Security Council to block a draft resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

Iran: US veto of UN resolution on Gaza ceasefire a vote for continuation of Israeli savagery; UNSC at dead-end

Iran says the US move to veto a UN resolution on Gaza ceasefire was a vote for continuation of Israel’s brutality against the Palestinian people.

Thirteen Security Council members voted in favor of the resolution, put forward by the United Arab Emirates, while the United Kingdom abstained.

The General Assembly, where the US has no veto power, overwhelmingly supported a humanitarian ceasefire. On October 26, the assembly approved the ceasefire with 120 votes in favor and only 14 against the non-binding resolution.

In a post on his X account on Sunday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi criticized the US as "the main supporter of the massacre of innocent Gazan women & children," referring to Washington's veto of the UNSC ceasefire resolution 

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