TEHRAN – Iran’s Defense Minister on Saturday advised the U.S. and European countries to withdraw their forces from West Asia, saying Western military presence in the region leads to an escalation of tensions.

“The presence of America and some European countries in the region will provoke a reaction from the entire region, including the axis of resistance, and I recommend that these foreign countries leave the region and do not create tension,” said Mohammad Reza Gharaei Ashtiyani.

Commenting on Israel’s latest wave of violence against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, Ashtiyani warned the regime’s Western backers that they are essentially squandering their money and energy by supporting a criminal entity that is doomed to collapse. 

“The people of the region will witness the complete downfall of this usurping and child-killing regime, and real security will return to our region,” the minister added. 

He pointed out that Israel suffered a colossal defeat on October 7, as it was completely caught off guard by Hamas resistance fighters. 

“Operation Al-Aqsa Storm caused this despicable regime to collapse in various dimensions, including political, military, and other areas, and the Americans seriously felt threatened that this regime was completely falling, so they supported this regime and some European countries also supported them in this path,” he said. 

The official also noted that the U.S. has made big strategic mistakes and miscalculations across the region. He warned that Washington will eventually be forced to pay for the destruction it’s brought upon West Asia.

“It has been proven to the whole world that the Zionist regime is a criminal one, and America's biggest mistake is supporting this child-killing regime, and they must know that they will definitely pay the cost of all these crimes,” he explained. 

The Western governments’ unflagging support for the Israeli regime and the numerous wars they have waged in West Asia has incentivized armed action against their forces deployed to the region. Various American bases have come under attacks in Iraq and Syria in recent weeks. Resistance groups have claimed responsibility for the attacks, demanding that the U.S. remove its occupation forces from the region. 

Ordinary citizens across West Asia have also taken to the streets in large masses in recent weeks, demanding that Western State cease their untrammeled support for Israel’s apartheid regime. Many are also calling on the West to withdraw their forces from their countries, arguing that they are only obstructing the path towards lasting peace and security.