Iranian security secretary denounces Netanyahu’s visit to the Emirates: welcoming the “Butcher of Gaza” brings no security

Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, criticised on Wednesday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the United Arab Emirates, as Al Jazeera reports. Rezaei said that just as hosting U.S. military bases failed to bring security to the Gulf region, welcoming Netanyahu — whom he described as the “Butcher of Gaza” — will not do so either. The Emirates should learn from the results of the US–Israel war against Iran, “give up inciting conflicts” and seek good neighbourly relations with Tehran, he added.

Netanyahu’s visit last weekend comes a month before the Israeli elections and amid controversy over the news that the head of military intelligence of the Israeli army had warned the Israeli leader that a major Hamas attack was possible shortly before the bloodshed of 7 October 2023.

Rezaei’s statement comes at a time when Iran and the United States are working with mediators to end seven months of fighting, while Tehran continues to criticise the security cooperation of the Gulf states with Washington and Tel Aviv.