TEHRAN, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Halting Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip would be the "most obvious way" to ease tensions in the region, said an Iranian expert.

Speaking to Xinhua, Abas Aslani, an expert on Iran's foreign policy based in Tehran, said, "It appears that the further continuation of the war in Gaza will be associated with greater risks of heightening tensions in the region," considering the recent escalation between Iran and Israel a consequence of the prolonged Gaza conflict.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, after the group carried out a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people. So far, the Palestinian death toll from the Israeli attack in Gaza has risen to 34,305, with 77,293 injuries recorded, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry on Thursday.

Citing actions taken by several resistance groups in the region to push for an end to the Israeli assault, the expert stressed, "The continuation of the Israeli attacks against Gaza will increase the potential for the occurrence of further unpredicted crises and events in the region."

Meanwhile, Aslani attributed the cause of the deadly Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria in early April, which led to further tensions in the region, to "disagreements between the United States and Israel," as the UN Security Council adopted a resolution last month demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan and the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, on which Washington abstained from voting.

In addition, he said, the political support for Israel from its Western allies, including the U.S. and some European countries, was "declining," and "protests were being staged inside Israel against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet."

"As has been its habit, Israel sought to solve the existing crises by deflecting them abroad by causing conflicts and tensions with Iran in the region," he said.

Israel launched a missile strike on April 1 on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus, killing seven Iranians, including two veteran commanders.

The airstrike incurred a large-scale response from Iran and fueled an escalation in the region, as both sides signaled tit-for-tat actions against each other. The international community has closely followed the developments and urged restraint in the region.

Elaborating on the U.S. role in the escalation of tensions in the region, Aslani said, "The Americans, through their clear support for Israel, fanned the flames of the conflict, instead of helping resolve the problems."

Besides supplying arms to Israel since the onset of the war in Gaza, the U.S., which could have played a significant role in easing the conflict, "prevented the adoption of certain resolutions at international organizations on several occasions, further complicating the situation," the expert said. Enditem

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