Turkey says Israel pushing Iran to take 'legitimate steps'

ISTANBUL — 

Israel's attacks successful Lebanon and Gaza are pushing Iran to instrumentality "legitimate steps," Turkey's overseas curate said Saturday successful a associated quality league successful Istanbul with his Iranian counterpart.

"Israel's assertive stance is forcing Iran to instrumentality morganatic steps," Turkey's Hakan Fidan said alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "constantly opening caller fronts successful the region" and "trying to gully Iran into this war," helium said.

"The hazard of warfare spreading to the full portion should not beryllium underestimated."

Araghchi, who took portion successful Friday's gathering of South Caucasus nations successful Istanbul, said the rising hostility successful Lebanon was "very worrying."

"The anticipation of warfare successful the portion is ever serious, and nary 1 different than the Zionist authorities wants that to happen. We privation to trim tensions, but we are acceptable for immoderate scenario," helium said.

Iran backs the Islamist groups Hamas successful Gaza and Hezbollah successful Lebanon, whose apical leaders person been killed by Israel successful the widening Middle East crisis.

Iran besides backs Houthi rebels successful Yemen and Shiite militias successful Iraq, arsenic good arsenic Syria's equipped forces. Tehran collectively calls these proxies and militias an "axis of resistance" against Israel.

On October 1, Iran launched a barrage of astir 200 missiles successful retaliation for the September 27 sidesplitting of Hezbollah main Hassan Nasrallah successful Beirut and the July 31 sidesplitting of Hamas governmental person Ismail Haniyeh successful Tehran.

Israel, which has vowed to onslaught backmost astatine Iran for that barrage, killed Hamas person Yahya Sinwar connected Wednesday. Sinwar was the mastermind of the October 7, 2023, attacks that triggered the existent conflict.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards person warned they would deed Israel "painfully" if it attacks Iranian targets.