Iran Blasts Israeli Settlement Expansion
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian foreign ministry on Sunday strongly condemned the Israeli plans for new settler homes, and called on the United Nations to react seriously to the "illegitimate and aggressive" move.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the illegitimate and aggressive decision by the Zionist regime to continue settlement expansion and calls on the UN, legal, international and humanitarian institutions to react seriously to this Zionists' illegal and aggressive move and block (further progress of) this process,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said.
Afkham considered the Zionist regime’s new decision as "a clear sign of the aggressive nature of that regime (Israel)" against the oppressed Palestinian nation.
On Friday, Tel Aviv unveiled proposals for 1,076 units in annexed east Jerusalem and 801 in the occupied West Bank in a move the Palestinians said was aimed at forcing the United States to abandon its push towards Middle East peace.
The European Union's foreign policy chief said earlier today that she was "deeply concerned" by "illegal" Israeli plans for more than 1,800 new settler homes.
"I was deeply concerned to hear the latest announcement by the Israeli authorities to advance settlement plans once more," Catherine Ashton said in a statement.
She added the settlements were "illegal under international law, constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten to make the two-state solution impossible".
