Israel’s Ambassador to the UN accused Iran's new president of "playing a game," claiming he is "lying, and unfortunately, some people are buying it" during his visit to New York.
Ambassador Danny Danon told Iran International that Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian talks like's a moderate, speaks "nice in New York" but then sends "billions" to proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.
On Monday, Pezeshkian told reporters during a visit to New York for the UN General Assembly meeting that Iran does not seek a wider war in the Middle East.
“We don’t want war. ... We want to live in peace,” Pezeshkian told reporters.
During his first address to the UNGA the following day, Iran's new president took aim at Israel, blaming the Jewish state for instability in the Mideast. He called for an immediate ceasefire and blamed Israel for assassinating "scientists, diplomats and guests" on Iranian soil.
Pezeshkian did not name Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas who was killed in Tehran on July 31. Haniyeh was in Iran at the time for the inauguration of Pezeshkian.
Danon called Pezeshkian "a dangerous man."
"I think that he knows how to play the game. And he played the game with the media, with the diplomats here. But when you look at the actions of the regime, the human rights abuses in Iran, the proxies that attack Israel and other forces of instability, you realize it's a dangerous regime. He's a dangerous man," said Danon.
Israel's UN Ambassador blamed the Islamic Republic of Iran for the conflict in Lebanon.
Danon said there are no territorial, economic or geopolitical disputes between Israel and Lebanon and that Iran-backed Hezbollah is the only force that has led to fighting between the two neighbors.
Hezbollah fired dozens of projectiles into Israel early Wednesday, including a missile aimed at Tel Aviv that was the militant group's deepest strike yet. That marked a further escalation after Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed hundreds of people.
"The Lebanese people are suffering because the regime of Teheran that are using Lebanon as a launching pad against Israel."
"Ask yourself why we have a conflict now between Hezbollah and Israel. What is the reasoning of the conflict? We have no dispute over territory, no dispute over resources. It's only because the Iranian regime wanted to support Hamas and they ordered Hezbollah to support Hamas. And the people of Lebanon and Israel are suffering because of that," said Danon.
Tuesday morning at the UNGA, US President Joe Biden urged for calm. He said full-scale war is not in anyone's interest. He added that if even the situation escalates a diplomatic solution is still possible.
During Danon's interview with Iran International, he thanked the US for their support but said they need to do more to help Israel and urged nations to do more when diplomacy fails. In his view, Iran is not capable of engaging in a diplomatic solution.
When asked what the next steps are in Lebanon, he said Israel will continue to push back until Hezbollah is farther away from the border and residents can move back to their homes in North of Israel. Hundreds of thousands of people are displaced on both sides of the border.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron met on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly summit. Macron urged Pezeshkian to use his influence with Hezbollah to deescalate tensions.
The UN Security Council said it would meet on Wednesday evening to discuss the conflict.