MADRID, November 28. /TASS/. Iran is not seeking direct confrontation with Israel, but it is ready to respond to any threats from the Jewish state that could escalate into a full-scale war, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared at the UN Alliance of Civilizations forum in Cascais, Portugal.

"We are prepared for war, even a large-scale one, but we do not desire it," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the Portuguese Diario de Noticias newspaper. "If the Israelis choose the path of war, we are fully prepared."

Araghchi emphasized that resolving conflicts in the Middle East is primarily the responsibility of the United States. "Efforts to halt Israeli atrocities in the region, including massacres in Lebanon and elsewhere, should be welcomed," he said, adding that he believes "Israel is attempting to drag the entire region into a full-scale war."

The diplomat also "rejected claims that the Iranian-allied Shiite Hezbollah movement has been weakened after two months of fighting in southern Lebanon." "If it had been weakened, I don't think Israel would have agreed to a ceasefire. It is clear that Hezbollah was able to regroup and resist in southern Lebanon when confronted by Israeli forces," he said. Araghchi noted that the assassination of the movement's leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli bombardment of Beirut on September 27 also did not diminish Hezbollah's capabilities. "Every time it (Hezbollah - TASS) loses its leaders or commanders, it recovers again. <...> Hezbollah remains a powerful force in Lebanon," the minister concluded.

Earlier, Islamic Republic President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Iran is not interested in a large-scale armed conflict in the Middle East but will always ensure its national security.

The agreement on the first ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon since the beginning of hostilities on October 7, 2023, entered into force at 5:00 a.m. Moscow time (3:00 a.m. GMT) on November 27. US President Joe Biden announced that the agreements between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah organization provide for the restoration of control by Lebanese forces over its territory within 60 days. After that, the Israeli military will gradually withdraw from Lebanon, and civilians on both sides will soon be able to safely return to their settlements and begin rebuilding them.