Iran condemned on Thursday as "organized terrorism" an offensive by Israel against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.
"Iran considers the criminal act of Israeli military forces in killing civilians as organized terrorism and strongly condemns it," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Related:
The spokesman also criticized what he called "the silence of international organizations claiming to defend human rights," following the strikes.

Iran's condemnation followed a statement by Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime on Wednesday denouncing Israeli "atrocities" in Gaza.
"The Syrian government condemns the heinous atrocities committed by the enemy Israeli army against the Arab Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip," AFP quoted a statement carried by the official Syrian news agency SANA as saying.
Assad concluded by urging the international community to "pressure Israel to stop the sinful aggression on our people in the defiant Gaza Strip."
"Iran considers the criminal act of Israeli military forces in killing civilians as organized terrorism and strongly condemns it," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Related:
- Beersheba residents hunker down for long night
- Background: Pillar of Defense comes 4 years after Cast Lead
The spokesman also criticized what he called "the silence of international organizations claiming to defend human rights," following the strikes.
Iran's condemnation followed a statement by Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime on Wednesday denouncing Israeli "atrocities" in Gaza.
"The Syrian government condemns the heinous atrocities committed by the enemy Israeli army against the Arab Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip," AFP quoted a statement carried by the official Syrian news agency SANA as saying.
Assad concluded by urging the international community to "pressure Israel to stop the sinful aggression on our people in the defiant Gaza Strip."