On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi mocked U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent suggestion to move Palestinian Arabs from Gaza to other countries like Egypt and Jordan.
Speaking to Sky News, Araqchi responded to Trump’s proposal by humorously suggesting that instead of relocating Palestinians, Trump should consider relocating Israelis to Greenland. “My suggestion is something else. Instead of Palestinians, try to expel Israelis, take them to Greenland so they can kill two birds with one stone,” Araqchi said, referencing Trump’s past comments about his interest in purchasing Greenland.
Trump had raised the idea of relocating Gazans earlier that weekend, sharing with reporters that he had spoken with King Abdullah II of Jordan about the proposal. “I’d like him to take people. I’d like Egypt to take people,” Trump said about the Jordanian King. “You’re talking about, probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, ‘You know it’s, over.’”
Trump also indicated that the move of Palestinian Arabs from Gaza could either be temporary or long-term, highlighting the historical context of conflicts in the region that have persisted over centuries.
On Monday, Trump reiterated his proposal, telling reporters that he had discussed it with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. “I’d like to get them living in an area where they can live without disruption, revolution … when you look at the Gaza Strip it’s been hell for so many years,” said Trump.
“I wish [Sisi] would take some [Gazans]. We helped them a lot, and I’m sure he’d help us. He’s a friend of mine. He’s in a very rough part of the world, to be honest. As they say, It’s a rough neighborhood. But I think he would do it, and I think the King of Jordan would do it too,” Trump continued.
These comments came despite Egypt’s Foreign Ministry already firmly rejecting Trump’s idea, reaffirming its “continued support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land.”
In the same interview with Sky News, Araqchi also issued a stern warning about the potential consequences of an Israeli or U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, calling it “crazy” and predicting it would lead to a “very bad disaster” for the region. “We have made it clear,” he stated, “that any attack to our nuclear facilities would be faced with an immediate and decisive response. But I don’t think they will do that crazy thing. This is really crazy. And this would turn the whole region into a very bad disaster.”
Araqchi also addressed Trump’s remarks about being open to diplomacy in order to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Iran, expressing skepticism. He emphasized that restoring trust would require more than just vague diplomatic gestures. “The situation is different and much more difficult than the previous time,” he explained. “Lots of things should be done by the other side to buy our confidence… We haven’t heard anything but the ‘nice’ word, and this is obviously not enough.”

{Matzav.com}