Foreign Minister Winston Peters. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says there are no innocent parties as strikes continue between Iran and Israel.
The two countries' conflict escalated last week after Israel carried out strikes in Iran, which it says were aimed at disrupting Iran's nuclear infrastructure. Iran responded by launching missiles at Israel in recent days.
New Zealanders in Israel or Iran have been warned to leave if they can.
Peters said the idea of flying New Zealanders out of iran is a "no-go" as it is too dangerous.
"They will only get out of they can drive themselves out," Peters said.
He said it is a tragedy that innocent civilians are being killed in the recent strikes. The death toll in Iran has passed 200, according to the Iranian Health Ministry. Israel's national emergency service said its death toll is 21 since Friday.
"The people who are innocent... that tragedy is just awful and I think New Zealanders understand that with clarity," Peters said. That's why we try to help where we can, but we are a long way from this conflict."
While Peters said we should avoid making judgement without all the information, he noted the conflict in the Middle East has been going on for years.
"There are no innocent parties in this conflict," he said.
Peters said the provocative behaviour by both Israel and Iran is to be criticised and New Zealand does not take sides in a conflict of this nature.
"Our advocacy has always been, and so has most of the western nations, on peace, on diplomacy, on trying to ensure we sort these things out by conversation and not war," Peters said.
Labour's deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni echoed Peters comments, saying Labour does not support what Israel's attack, or Iran's response.
"What we need here is diplomacy to bring these conflicts to an end and to create some stability in the region," Sepuloni told Morning Report.
"... But we are seeing an escalation from both sides right now and we need to call that out."
Labour's deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Iran's ambassador to New Zealand Reza Nazarahari told Morning Report the attack by Israel was a "clear example of military aggression".
"There is not any type of right for any countries to attack on... nuclear site. Our nuclear site has been attacked and everybody says 'yeah, it's okay because they have some concern about that'," Nazarahari said.
Nazarahari said Iran has not made a nuclear bomb and does not intend to.
Iran and the US were engaged in negotiations over Tehran's advancing nuclear programme.
The US was concerned over the amount of uranium Iran was enriching. Iran claims it is not making nuclear weapons and the uranium enrichment is necessary to run its nuclear programme.
Nuclear energy reactors use 'low enriched uranium', usually at three to five percent.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has uranium enriched up to 60 percent, lower than the 90 percent enrichment needed for a weapon.
After Israel's attack on Friday, the latest round of talks between the US and Iran on the future of Iran's nuclear program were cancelled.
"As far as we are under attack, we can not do anything else accept removing that threat and after that, if the attacks stop, then after that we can resume the negotiations," Nazarahari said.
RNZ tried to contact the Israeli Ambassador, however, the Israeli Embassy in New Zealand has been shut as part of a world-wide closure of the country's diplomatic missions.
Peters said New Zealand will withholding its position on whether Iran is making nuclear weapons until we have all the facts.
"I have just heard the ambassador making his claim that this highly formulated nuclear capacity is in innocence, but lets find out the truth about that, and we will very, very shortly."
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