Iran's president slammed Western nations aiding Israel in its ongoing war in Gaza and accused Israel of "committing massacres."
On Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke in Baghdad about Israel's ongoing war with Hamas militants and how Western nations, such as the United States, have continued to support Israel in its war efforts.
"The Israeli entity is committing massacres against women, children, young men and elderly. They bomb hospitals and schools," Pezeshkian said. "All these crimes are being committed by using European and American ammunition and bombs."
Iran has remained a steadfast backer of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, since its deadly assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the ongoing conflict in Gaza. In the months since, the war has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. The fighting has also led to the widespread destruction of infrastructure and displaced nearly 90 percent of Gaza's 2.3 million residents, many of whom have been forced to flee multiple times.
Just hours before Pezeshkian's arrival, an explosion rocked a location near Baghdad International Airport that is used by U.S. military forces. The blast, which occurred Tuesday night, caused no reported injuries, though the exact cause and circumstances remain unclear.
The U.S. Embassy later referred to the incident as an "attack" on the Baghdad Diplomatic Services Compound, a facility used by American diplomats. The embassy stated that officials were "assessing the damage" and investigating the cause of the explosion but did not offer additional details.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced during a joint press conference with Pezeshkian that the two neighboring nations had signed 14 memorandums of understanding on Wednesday aimed at strengthening bilateral ties. Al-Sudani also vowed that Iraq's airspace would not be used for any attacks on Iran, a statement seemingly directed at Israel.
Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken formally accused Iran of supplying missiles to Russia amid its ongoing war with Ukraine, as tensions between the U.S. and Iran have remained high.
"Russia has now received shipments of these ballistic missiles and will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine, against Ukrainians," Blinken said on Tuesday. "The supply of Iranian missiles enables Russia to use more of its arsenal for targets that are further from the front line."
However, in a statement shared with Newsweek, the Iranian Mission to the United Nations stated that Iran had not provided weapons to either side of the conflict in Ukraine and called on other nations to cease doing so.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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