Zarif says Israel ‘looking for war’

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has accused Israel of “looking for war” and warned that its behaviour and that of the United States were increasing the chances of a clash in the Middle East.

“The risk [of war] is great. The risk will be even greater if you continue to turn a blind eye to severe violations of international law,” Zarif said in an address at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday. Zarif appeared to be referring to Israeli air attacks against Iranian targets in Syria.

“Certainly, some people are looking for war … Israel,” he said.

Israel carried out a series of air raids last month against what it said were facilities belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in Syria. Israel has carried out hundreds of air attacks in Syria in the past few years against Iranian and Hezbollah targets.

“Israeli behaviour is putting international law on the shelf, US behaviour is putting international law on the shelf,” said Zarif.