Iran's Larijani slams proposals on Gaza

A senior Iranian politician on Thursday described proposals put forward by Middle Eastern and European states to end the Gaza conflict as "honey injected with poison" that would not protect Palestinian rights.

Ali Larijani, a major figure in the Islamic Republic and its speaker of parliament, was apparently referring to ideas put forward by Egypt and France to end the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, which is backed by Tehran.

"These plans were called plans to deal with massacres in Gaza. Some of these plans were proposed by some of the states in this region and some of them were put forward by some of the European states," Larijani told reporters in Beirut.

"We agree that these proposals do not protect the rights of the Palestinian people. These proposals are proposals ... resembling honey injected with poison," he said after talks with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Larijani met Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal in Damascus on Wednesday. No details emerged from their deliberations and little is known on the advice Iran and Syria, another backer of Hamas, have given the group during its conflict with Israel.
Saeed Jalili, a senior Iranian security official, also met Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials in Damascus this week.

Larijani was visiting Lebanon together with the parliament speakers of Syria and Indonesia. "As a troika, we are looking for logical and reasonable solutions," he said.

Israel, Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have entered talks with Egypt to try to agree terms of a ceasefire in Gaza, where more than 750 people have been killed since Israel began its offensive against Hamas on December 27.

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