Iran on Monday vowed harsh punishment for Israel over the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh last week in Tehran.
At a weekly press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani condemned Israel's assassination of Haniyeh, who was in Iran last Wednesday for the swearing-in of President Masoud Pezeshkian, was a "flagrant violation" of international law.
He emphasized that while Iran has no intention to increase regional tensions, Israel, on the other hand, has responded negatively to attempts by all parties to restore regional stability and carried out provocations and terrorist acts against countries including Iran, Lebanon, and Syria.
Iran will take its serious and deterrent action with "strength and decisiveness" to punish the "aggressor" based on its inherent right and the international law principles, Kanaani stressed.
Kanaani refuted foreign media reports that the United States is conveying messages to Iran on the regional situation, saying there is no need for the U.S. to pass messages to Iran as the U.S. is responsible for the escalation of regional tensions.
He stressed that the U.S. must stop supporting Israel and stop Israel from continuing its crimes.
"Unfortunately, over the past 10 months, the U.S. government has been doing its utmost to help Israel commit war crimes and genocide against the oppressed Palestinian people. It is incumbent on the U.S. government to exert effective pressure on Israel to stop the conflict and stop Israel's massacre. Moreover, the U.S. should not provide Israel with arms or weapons of mass destruction. We believe that had it not been the U.S. government's assistance, Israel would have never taken such a risk," said Kanaani.
On a separate occasion the same day, Hossein Salami, the chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said in a speech that Israel's killing of Haniyeh and its many other previous assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists were absurd strategies to achieve political ends.
He called the Hamas leader's assassination a mistake and said Iran will respond harshly to Israel over this at an appropriate time.
"When Israel receives a harsh response, it would realize that it has made a mistake. It has kept miscalculating and repeating such mistakes. This time, it will meet yet another response from us. However, they are just yet to find out in what way and at what time our retaliation will be carried out," said Salami.
Also on Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited the Air Force Command Center in Tel Aviv, where he said that Israel must be well prepared for all eventualities, including a quick transition to offense.
The Israeli Defense Ministry said that Gallant assessed the current situation with high-level Israeli Air Force officials, who briefed the minister on Israel's air defense readiness and attack capabilities.
Iran vows harsh punishment for Israel over Hamas leader's assassination
Iran vows harsh punishment for Israel over Hamas leader's assassination
