The British foreign secretary called on Iran to play a role in the reduction of regional tensions considering the developments in Gaza, where the Israeli regime has killed over 40,000 Palestinians in the past 11 months.

According to The Iran Project, in a telephone conversation on Friday, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy congratulated Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on taking the post.

Lammy described the new Iranian administration’s tenure as a fresh opportunity to enhance diplomatic consultations between the two countries.

Referring to the developments in Gaza, the British diplomat called for Iran's involvement in reducing tensions in the region, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.

For his part, Araqchi thanked his British counterpart for the call, saying the bilateral cooperation over the past years has had ups and downs.

He stated that Iran does not seek to escalate war or increase tensions in the region but will not relinquish its absolute right to respond to the criminal and terrorist actions of the Zionist regime, referring to the Israeli assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

The two diplomats further discussed various topics of mutual interest, including negotiations on lifting sanctions, and emphasized their desire to continue consultations.