Iran’s mission to the UN stated that Tehran’s response to Israel’s assassination of Haniyeh, ‘a matter unrelated act’ to sabotage ceasefire attempt
TEHRAN: Iran is preparing to carry out an order from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to “harshly punish” Israel in response to the assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran, according to statements made by a Revolutionary Guards deputy commander on Friday. Ali Fadavi was quoted by Iranian media as saying, “The supreme leader’s orders regarding the harsh punishment of Israel and revenge for the blood of martyr Ismail Haniyeh are clear and explicit… and they will be implemented in the best possible way.”
Iran and the Palestinian group Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out Haniyeh’s assassination on July 31. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the killing, which has heightened concerns that the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip could escalate into a broader regional conflict. In response to Fadavi’s remarks, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby stated that the US is prepared to defend Israel with substantial resources, emphasizing, “When we hear rhetoric like that, we’ve got to take it seriously, and we do.”
Later on Friday, Iran’s mission to the United Nations stated that Tehran’s planned response to Israel’s alleged assassination of Haniyeh was “a matter totally unrelated” to ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire in the 10-month war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The mission added, “However, we hope that our response will be timed and conducted in a manner not to the detriment of the potential ceasefire,” when asked if Iran might delay its retaliation until after the upcoming ceasefire talks in Gaza.
On Thursday, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar called for Israel and Hamas to meet on August 15 in Doha or Cairo to finalize a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. Israel has agreed to attend, while a Hamas official indicated that the group is “studying” the new offer for talks. Iran’s UN mission stated, “Our priority is to establish a lasting ceasefire in Gaza; any agreement accepted by Hamas will also be recognized by us. The Israeli regime has violated our national security and sovereignty through its recent act of terrorism. We have the legitimate right to self-defense – a matter totally unrelated to the Gaza ceasefire.”
In response to inquiries about Iran’s potential actions, a US State Department spokesperson said, “We don’t want to speculate on what actions the Iranian regime will take.” The spokesperson noted that the United States has been in constant contact with regional and global partners and emphasized that there is a clear consensus: “No one should escalate this conflict.” The US has engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and partners to communicate this message directly to Iran and Israel. Since October 7, Israel has reportedly killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to health officials in the enclave, who also fear that thousands more may be dead under the rubble.
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