Iran asserts no deployment of troops to Lebanon or Gaza territory.
In relation to the intensifying clash between Israel and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iran has made it clear that they have no plan to dispatch troops to the area. As stated by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani in Tehran on Monday, "There's no need to send extra or voluntary forces from the Islamic Republic of Iran." He emphasized that Lebanon and the forces in the Palestinian territories possess the capacity and power to defend themselves against hostility. Kanani further noted that they have not received any such requests from any quarter and have been informed that they don't require Iranian troop assistance.
Simultaneously, Kanani announced retaliation for assaults by the Israeli army on Iranians. He asserted, "The occupying Zionist regime will not avoid retribution and punishment for the atrocities it has inflicted on the Iranian people, the resistance forces, Iranian civilians, and military personnel."
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, together with other top-ranking members of the pro-Iranian militia, lost their lives in an Israeli air strike in southern Beirut on Friday. The deputy commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Abbas Nilforoushan, was also among the casualties.
Iran had bolstered Hezbollah during the Lebanese civil war, offering financial support and weaponry to the Shia militia. Hezbollah is part of the "Resistance Axis" led by Iran, which challenges Israel, which also includes the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas and the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
As reported by the government website, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian paid his respects to Nasrallah at the Hezbollah office in Tehran on Monday. Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei declared that Nasrallah's demise would not be in vain, and Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref threatened that Nasrallah's killing would lead to "destruction" for Israel.
The European Union, expressing concern over the escalating tensions between Israel and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah in Lebanon, issued a statement calling for de-escalation and respect for international laws. The European Union also condemned the recent air strike in Beirut that resulted in the loss of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other high-ranking members, stressing the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region.
