Netanyahu, Biden have ‘conflicting interests’ on Gaza war: Iran

Iran has warned that “conflicting interests” between Israeli prime minister Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden on the Gaza war may become “unmanageable” and cost them their political future.

In an exclusive interview with the American weekly news magazine Newsweek on Friday, Iran’s Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani emphasized that the fates of Netanyahu and Biden are intertwined with the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

“Netanyahu finds his political future tied to the continuation of the war on Gaza, while President Biden perceives his reelection prospects entwined with bringing an end to the hostilities,” he said.

“This conflict of interests becomes increasingly unmanageable as the war persists, posing a significant challenge.”

The US, a staunch ally of Israel, provides over $3 billion in military aid to the regime annually.

Washington has offered untrammeled support for Tel Aviv since October 7, when the occupying entity waged the brutal war on Gaza following a historic operation by the Palestinian Hamas resistance group.

Recently, however, Biden spoke out about the Gaza war and warned that Israel is losing international support because of its “indiscriminate bombing” of civilians.

Iravani also said that Israel has increasingly become “a burden for America” in terms of material, political, and, notably, moral and reputational costs on the global stage.

Asked about the possibility of an escalation in Israel’s actions in the region, he stressed that neither the United States’ strategic interests nor Israel’s capabilities necessitate the initiation of a new conflict.

“Israel lacks the capacity to undertake invasions without the unequivocal backing of the United States. As the Gaza conflict persists, the associated cost of this support for the United States is exponentially escalating,” he added.

“There arises a critical juncture where America must consider conditioning and constraining this support or risk falling prey to the thwarted ambitions of Israel’s leadership.”

The envoy also noted that Iran remains resolute in its stance of refraining from initiating a war while maintaining its highest state of preparedness to respond to any perceived threats.

The Islamic Republic, he stated, believes that the Palestinian crisis cannot be resolved through military means, but rather through terminating the occupation and upholding the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

“Iran’s unwavering stance advocating for an immediate and enduring ceasefire signifies a cessation of bombings and the tragic massacre of civilians in Gaza,” the Iranian envoy said.

“The war between the resistance and Israel will persist until the occupation ends; however, it should remain confined to the battleground and not encroach upon civilians.”

Iravani further noted that the military prowess of the Palestinian resistance does not aim to bring about the collapse of Israel but rather serves the purpose of halting the expansion of the occupation.

Since the start of the onslaught on Gaza, Israel has killed at least 19,088 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 54,450 others.

Thousands more are also missing and presume