TEHRAN: Iran鈥檚 president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday reaffirmed the Islamic republic鈥檚 support for Lebanon鈥檚 Hezbollah group and condemned Israel鈥檚 actions against Palestinians.
The statement, issued to Hezbollah鈥檚 chief Hassan Nasrallah on the IRNA official news agency, was one of the first foreign policy comments from Pezeshkian since his victory in Friday鈥檚 presidential election runoff.
Tehran provides financial and military support to Hezbollah, which was created at the initiative of Iran鈥檚 Revolutionary Guards after arch-foe Israel overran Beirut in 1982 during Lebanon鈥檚 civil war.
In a reference to Hezbollah and allied groups, Pezeshkian said: 鈥淭he support of the resistance is rooted in the fundamental policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran.鈥�
He said he was confident the 鈥渞esistance movement鈥� would stop its arch-foe Israel鈥檚 鈥渨armongering and criminal policies鈥� in Gaza, where Israel has for nine months been at war with Hezbollah鈥檚 Palestinian ally, Hamas.
Since the war in Gaza began, Hezbollah and Israel have exchanged near-daily fire over Lebanon鈥檚 border, triggering global alarm about the potential for all-out war as fighting escalates.
Earlier Monday, Iran鈥檚 foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said Tehran 鈥渨ill not hesitate to support the Lebanese nation鈥� and Israel 鈥渕ust be aware of the consequences of any adventurous action in the region, especially toward Lebanon.鈥�
Reformist Pezeshkian defeated ultraconservative Saeed Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator, in the election which was brought forward after the death of president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash.
After the vote, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the election result was a 鈥渃lear message of demand for change and opposition鈥� from the Iranian people.
On Saturday Nasrallah congratulated Pezeshkian on his election victory and emphasized Tehran鈥檚 role as a 鈥渟trong鈥� supporter of regional 鈥渞esistance鈥� groups.
The Shiite Muslim movement is a key part of the Axis of Resistance 鈥� an alliance of pro-Iran armed movements that oppose Israel and the United States.
The alliance also includes Yemen鈥檚 Houthi rebels and fighters in Iraq, as well as Hamas.