Iranian top diplomat to visit Türkiye for Mideast talks

TEHRAN

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will pay a visit to Türkiye, Egypt and Jordan as part of his Middle East tour to discuss ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, his office announced on Oct. 16.

Araghchi will engage in talks in a “diplomatic reach-out to countries of the region to end genocide, atrocity and aggression,” the statement said.

Iranian top diplomat has been on a regional tour focused on Israel’s war on Gaza that has seen him travel to Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Syria and Saudi Arabia in recent days.

Meanwhile, he warned U.N. chief Antonio Guterres that Tehran is ready for a "decisive and regretful" response if Israel attacks his country in retaliation for a missile attack.

"Iran, while making all-out efforts to protect the peace and security of the region, is fully prepared for a decisive and regretful response to any adventures" by Israel, Araghchi said during a phone call with Guterres, according to a statement from his office.

During the call, Araghchi also appealed to the United Nations to use its resources "to stop the crimes and aggressions of the Israeli regime and to send humanitarian aid to Lebanon and Gaza.”

Iran's top diplomat also spoke on the phone with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot on Oct. 15.

The Islamic Republic fired about 200 missiles at Israel on Oct. 1 in revenge for the killing of two of its closest allies, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, as well as an Iranian general.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vowed last week that his country's retaliatory measure would be "deadly, precise and surprising.”