Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has sent a letter to the leaders of 50 countries calling on them to put pressure on Israel to stop its attacks on the Gaza Strip, the IRNA news agency reported.

According to it, Raisi's message was addressed to the Russian and Chinese presidents, as well as the leaders of Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Turkey and South Africa. Raisi called on the recipients of the letter to come together in an effort to force Israel into a ceasefire in Gaza.

"Our countries should use all leverage available to them, including suspending trade and political interaction with Israel. This will help us contribute more to ending Israeli crimes in Gaza," IRNA quoted Raisi as saying.

On November 11, Iran's president, speaking at an extraordinary joint summit of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Riyadh, called on Islamic countries to sever economic relations with Israel and impose sanctions on the Jewish state, including an embargo on oil imports.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when Hamas militants staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking more than 200 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel has announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also underway in the West Bank.

Source: Tass news agency