Iran is prepared for war but will continue pushing for peace in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said during a trip to Iraq on Sunday.
"Iran is not seeking … escalation of tensions, conflicts and war; however, it is ready for any situation. We are ready for both war and peace... However, we are not seeking war, we are seeking peace and we will continue contributing to a fair peace in Gaza and Lebanon," Araghchi told a press conference, held jointly with the Iraqi foreign minister in Baghdad.
On October 1, Israel launched a ground operation against Hezbollah in the south of Lebanon, while also continuing to exchange air and rocket strikes with the Shiite movement. The death toll in Lebanon from Israeli strikes has exceeded 2,000 since the escalation.
Despite losses, Hezbollah has been fighting Israeli troops on the ground and launching rockets across the border. Israel says its main objective is to create conditions for the return of 60,000 residents who fled the shelling in the north of Israel.