French President Emmanuel Macron has pressed Iran’s new president to use his influence to dial down soaring tensions in Lebanon, where Israel is striking allegedly Tehran-backed Hezbollah, AFP reports.

Macron met with Masoud Pezeshkian, a self-styled reformist in a cleric-run state which Israel sees as its archenemy, on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly as casualties mounted in Lebanon.

Macron “highlighted the responsibility of Iran to support a general de-escalation and use its influence with destabilising actors”, an Elysee statement said, in a clear reference to Hezbollah.

Macron has already spoken twice by telephone with Pezeshkian as tensions rose between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia armed movement allegedly backed by Iran. Macron also “warned the Iranian president against the Islamic republic’s continuation of support for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine,” the Elysee said.

On August 7, Macron urged the Iranian president to avoid reprisals and work to prevent a military escalation after Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated.