TEHRAN – Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, expressed alarm regarding the potential spillover of the ongoing Israeli conflict in Gaza and Lebanon into the broader West Asia region.

His remarks came during his visit to Turkey on Friday, following a series of discussions in Jordan and Egypt aimed at addressing escalating tensions.

Araqchi’s visit to Turkey was with the main aim of participation in a foreign ministerial meeting of the Regional Cooperation Mechanism for the Caucasus region, known as 3+3, where he joined his counterparts from Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. Notably absent was Georgia’s foreign minister. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan formally welcomed Araqchi at the start of the conference.

The 3+3 foreign ministerial meeting focused on the South Caucasus region and included representatives from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Iran, Turkey, Georgia, and Russia. 

The regional group was established to address issues in the area through the collaboration of neighboring countries, intentionally excluding interference from external and Western powers. 

Upon his arrival in Istanbul, Araqchi emphasized the urgency of regional dialogue, stating, "Given the current situation in the region and the ongoing attacks by the Zionist regime on Lebanon, which followed the assaults on Gaza, the circumstances are perilous." He noted that these conversations were vital to fostering a collective understanding among neighboring countries about the dangers posed by the conflict, particularly concerning the displacement of populations and the risk of war expansion.

During his time in Turkey, Araqchi is scheduled to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to continue discussions on these critical issues. He highlighted the historical ties between Iran and Turkey and reiterated that today's discussions would be especially significant in light of the current regional developments.

On the sidelines of the conference, Araqchi plans to hold additional bilateral meetings with other foreign ministers and senior officials from Turkey to discuss pressing regional matters. His recent diplomatic tour also included visits to Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Jordan, and Egypt all aimed at addressing the ongoing crises in Gaza and Lebanon.

As Araqchi noted, the discussions in Istanbul are part of Iran's broader strategy to consult with regional partners about the Israeli regime’s aggressive actions, which have escalated tensions and created a precarious situation across West Asia.

Israel initiated its large-scale military campaign against Gaza on October 7 last year, following a surprise operation by Hamas, known as Operation Al-Aqsa Storm. The operation was launched in retaliation for Israel’s escalating violence and oppression against the Palestinian people.

Since the conflict began, the Gaza health ministry reports that at least 42,500 Palestinians, the majority being women and children, have been killed by Israeli forces. In addition, 99,546 others have been wounded during the ongoing assaults.

The Israeli regime has also expanded its military actions beyond Gaza, intensifying attacks on Lebanon. In recent weeks, these attacks have mainly targeted Beirut. Notably, in late September, Israeli airstrikes on the Lebanese capital resulted in the assassination of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, Lebanon's Resistance movement.

Araqchi engages in talks with Armenian counterpart in Istanbul

Araqchi also met with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Istanbul on Friday during the Regional Cooperation Mechanism for the Caucasus meeting. 

This bilateral discussion was part of Araghchi's agenda, which also included meetings with other participating ministers and senior officials from Turkey.