Iran condemns U.S. plan to control Gaza, relocate Palestinians

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has strongly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to take control of Gaza and relocate Palestinians from the coastal enclave.

He made the remarks in a statement released by the ministry on Wednesday night, a day after Trump said at a joint press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States would "take control of the Gaza Strip," move Palestinians to neighboring countries, and redevelop the coastal enclave.

Baghaei said that expressing such a thought was "astonishing and in line with Israel's targeted plan to completely eliminate the Palestinian nation," adding that the "claim of planning to own the Gaza Strip is an unprecedented violation against all the fundamental principles of international law and the United Nations (UN) Charter."

The plan should be "completely rejected and condemned" due to its obvious contradiction with the inalienable principles and rules of international law and human rights, he said.

He called on the international community and the UN to decisively condemn the U.S. plan and position and help restore the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and free them from occupation.