A senior Iranian official has said it is a “duty” to help the people of Gaza, and warned otherwise Iran may face a threat within its borders from Israel.

The remarks by Hassan Moslemi Nayini, the اead of the Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research, echo the rhetoric around Iran’s intervention in the Syrian civil war.

Back then Iranian officials justified their actions in the Syrian civil war by stating that failure to act there would result in a conflict within Iran.

In 2011, Iran intervened in Syria, sending thousands of fighters and weapons to support the government of Bashar al-Assad. The move was framed as a preventive measure against the rise of ISIS, which had gained ground in Syria and Iraq.

Qasem Soleimani, the former IRGC Quds Force Commander, played a significant role in Iran's intervention in Syria. Initially acting as an advisor, Soleimani later spearheaded a large-scale military involvement in the Syrian civil war, drawing criticism for involvement in civilian casualties.

Soleimani's death in a 2020 drone strike ordered by then-President Donald Trump heightened tensions between the United States and Iran. Since then, militant groups backed by Iran have attacked US bases in the region many times.

Iran supports groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, both with ties to Palestinian factions in Gaza. While Iran backs such groups, it denies direct involvement in recent events, including the October 7 terror attack that escalated the current crisis in the region.