Amirabdollahian said on Wednesday that the positive response given by the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas to a ceasefire proposal in Gaza has prepared the ground for a resolution to the dispute. 

“Everything is ready for a permanent ceasefire and a settlement of the issue if the Americans and the Westerners uphold their promise about the ceasefire in a true sense of the word,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting in Tehran. 

The top Iranian diplomat said that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his extremist government are naturally opposed to the ceasefire in Gaza because an end to the war would mean a political crisis in the occupied lands. 

Grossi's visit to Iran

Responding to a question about Iran’s interactions with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Amirabdollahian described as positive a visit earlier this week to Iran by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. 

He said, however, that relations between Iran and the IAEA have been normal as long as Grossi has performed his duties “within the legal course”. 

“But complications have arisen whenever he has been influenced by external pressures,” said the minister. 

Operation True Promise against Israeli regime

Referring to Iran’s punitive military operation against the Israeli regime last month, Amirabdollahian said that after Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy complex in Syria’s Damascus, Iran had warned that if the United States takes any action against Iran's interests, its response will be immediate and decisive.

He said that Iran is entitled to the right to legitimate defense while it is committed to strengthening cooperation with countries in the region where the US has military bases. 

The minister warned, however, that if the US makes any mistake, Iran we will target its airbases in the region. 

He expressed hope that Iran's response to the Zionist regime would help ease the current crisis in Palestine.

Amirabdollahian concluded that Iran will certainly move in the direction of friendship and cooperation with its neighbors and all the countries in the region and around the world.