TEHRAN, Aug. 07 (MNA) – The new Iranian President has told French President Emmanuel Macron that the US and Western countries must immediately stop giving weapons to the Israeli regime if they seek peace and security in the region.

On Wednesday, Masoud Pezeshkian received a phone call from the French president Emmanuel Macron, who expressed concerns about escalation in the region following the killing of the Hamas political leader and urged Iran to exercise restraint, Pezeshkian underscored that the assassination of Haniyeh—who was in Iran as an official guest—was an attempt by the Zionist regime of Israel to further fan the flames of war in the region.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the avoidance of war and the effort to establish global peace and security as its fundamental principles. However, within the framework of treaties and international laws, it will never remain silent in the face of violations against its interests and security,” he told Macron.

He stressed that the US and Western countries have supported this regime in committing crimes, genocide, and terror instead of condemning the regime's criminal actions.

Pezeshkian emphasized Iran had consistently played a crucial role in promoting “peace, stability, and security” in the region and the world, stressing that  Iran reserves right to give a proportionate response to the act of aggression by the Israeli regime.

“The United States and Western countries support a regime that adheres to none of the international laws and regulations, and has not refrained from any criminal actions in the region with adopting a contradictory and dual approach,” he said.

The president added that Western countries invite the countries that have been targeted by terrorist actions to refrain from responding and to practice restraint.

Pezeshkian emphasized that if the US and Western countries want to prevent war and insecurity in the region, they should immediately stop selling arms and supporting the Zionist regime and force this regime to stop the genocide and attacks on Gaza and accept a ceasefire.

He warned that as long as the Zionist regime, backed politically, financially, and militarily by the West, continues its acts of genocide and terror in Gaza and elsewhere, the region and the world will not witness stability, security, or peace.

SD/6189178