Israel looks for excuses to suppress Palestinians, Iran says

TEHRAN,July 15(MNA) – The Iranian deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs said on Sunday that the current moves by Israel in the occupied territories are ‘suspicious’, noting that the Zionist regime looks for excuses to suppress Palestinians. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks during a meeting with Wu Sike, the Chinese special envoy on the Middle East. Israeli air strikes on Gaza started on July 8. Palestinian officials say 172 people have been killed since the assault started. The UN has estimated that 77% of the people killed in Gaza have been civilians, the BBC said in report on its website. Israeli commandos also carried out their first ground incursion on Sunday. Arab foreign ministers are due to meet in Cairo on Monday to discuss the crisis, as casualties mount. The crisis in Iraq is ‘result of a plot’ The two officials also discussed other regional issues, specifically the crisis in Iraq. According to unconfirmed reports terrorists from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which are more brutal than al-Qaeda, have occupied a third of Iraq’s territory. They invaded Iraq from Syria. Amir-Abdollahian said the crisis in Iraq is the ‘result of a plot’. He said all countries should show commitment in the campaign against terrorism and support the Iraqi government. The Chinese official expressed China’s support for the Iraqi government in the fight against terrorism. He also highlighted the importance of consultations between Iran and China on regional and international issues.