Iran vows harsh punishment for Israel over Hamas leader's assassination

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

Over 100 migrants deported by the United States to Panama, stranded in a foreign country with no money, no knowledge of Spanish and no future, complained they were misled, detained in harsh conditions, and forcibly removed without proper explanation, raising human rights violation concerns.

The United States has deported 299 migrants from multiple countries to Panama since February, designating the Central American nation as a temporary transit hub under a bilateral agreement between the two countries. At least 107 migrants remain stranded in Panama after refusing repatriation to their home countries, according to Panamanian authorities. Now 192 of the 299 deportees have returned to their home countries. The 107 migrants, transferred to a government-run shelter on the outskirts of Panama City, complained they were detained in U.S. facilities under harsh conditions and deported without clear communication about their destinations. "We weren't allowed to rest while in custody. Every time when we were about to fall asleep, someone would bang on the door, which made us very uneasy. We thought we were to be sent to Texas, but after a six-hour flight we found out we were in Panama," said a deportee from Afghanistan.

An Eritrean migrant, interviewed in English, described similar confusion.

"We weren't told (that we are being deported). We just [went] to the airport by bus, (and waited) for one hour after one hour at the airport. I think (in total there were) maybe 60 people. I was not told (we were going to) Panama, just to move (to another place of custody) maybe," he said.

"Many of the deported migrants expressed that the deportations were carried out against their personal will and violated their human rights. As far as we can see, there are indeed violations of human rights in evictions," said Raphael Rodriguez, President of the Association of Naturalized Residents of Panama.

Panama has issued 30-day humanitarian visas to the deported migrants, extendable to 90 days. However, they must cover their own expenses and find a way to leave the country.

"I have children in Africa. In Panama, we don't have good work. I have nothing, so I don't know what I can do," said the deported Eritrean immigrant.

Deportees accuse US of human right violations