Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has sharply criticised remarks by Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, accusing the Israeli government of pursuing a strategy of 'permanent war' after the minister called for devastating retaliation against Lebanon. The exchange followed the killing of four Israeli soldiers in Lebanon, prompting Ben Gvir to post a strongly worded message demanding an escalated military response. As reported by Anadolu, Araghchi made these comments on Friday, emphasizing the serious nature of the diplomatic escalation. The latest developments come as Israeli airstrikes and bombardments killed at least 47 people and wounded 97 others in Lebanon on Friday, according to the latest updated toll from the Lebanese health ministry, with fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon disrupting diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran.
Ben Gvir's message demanded 'for every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep' and called for 'All of Lebanon must burn!' He stated that 'In the Middle East, you don't win with measured responses and restraint—you need to go berserk. To obliterate. To crush the terror.' As reported by Anadolu, Ben Gvir added that 'With all due respect to the Americans, Israel must make it clear to the entire world that the blood of our sons and the security of our citizens are not forfeit.' He told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'even in our private meetings' that such measures were necessary.
Responding on X, Abbas Araghchi condemned the comments and said they reflected a broader pattern within Israel's leadership. According to Anadolu, Araghchi stated that 'This is not a rant by a random genocidal lunatic. It's a public post by the national security minister of the Israeli regime.' He further described the situation, stating that 'The genocidal death cult headquartered in Tel Aviv is a threat to all of humanity. It threatens all humans. Its only interest is permanent war.' As reported by Anadolu, Araghchi made these remarks on Friday, reinforcing Iran's position on the escalating tensions.
Despite the escalating violence, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to renew their ceasefire following fresh violence in Lebanon that put the fragile arrangement under pressure, according to a US official. The clashes also affected planned discussions in Switzerland involving US Vice President JD Vance, which were aimed at moving forward talks between the US and Iran. US President Donald Trump has recently shown increasing frustration with Israel, despite being one of its strongest supporters, calling for a 'complete ceasefire on all fronts' and criticising the impact of Israeli attacks in Lebanon. US Vice President JD Vance also criticised hardline members of the Israeli government who opposed the Iran agreement, telling them to 'wake up and smell the reality'.
