The comments from Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian could ramp up concerns over whether Washington's diplomatic efforts and deployment of U.S. naval forces to the eastern Mediterranean will be able to keep the conflict from further destabilising the Middle East.
The United States has backed Israel's rejection of a ceasefire, and G7 foreign ministers on Wednesday in Japan said they supported "humanitarian pauses
Hillary Clinton's remarks come as negotiations are underway to reach a 3-day humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for release of about a dozen hostages.
The US and its Western allies have been telling their Israeli counterparts for weeks that Israel should have clear objectives when it comes to degrading Hamas and should seek to avoid a long-term occupation of the Gaza Strip.