iran-vows-to-avenge-haniyeh-s-killing

Iran has condemned the killing of Hamas’ political bureau head Ismail Haniyeh as a blatant violation of international law and a challenge to its national sovereignty and vowed revenge.

Hamas announced on Wednesday that its political bureau head, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in an Israeli strike in the early morning hours in Tehran.

Haniyeh had travelled to Iran as a state guest for the inauguration ceremony of newly elected President Massoud Pezeshkian.

Reports indicate that he was in a guest house with his Iranian bodyguard when an alleged drone strike hit the building. 

Reacting to the killing, Iran’s supreme leader said it was “Tehran’s duty” to retaliate, adding, “The United States bears responsibility for the assassination.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the killing as a “cowardly act and dangerous development.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was on Wednesday, however,  quick to issue a statement that the US was neither involved in nor aware of the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh. “This is something we were not aware of or involved in,” he stated.

Russia warned that the Middle East was on the brink of major conflict, condemning the killing as an “absolutely unacceptable political assassination” that could escalate tensions and impact Gaza ceasefire talks.

“The region is currently balancing on the brink of a global conflict,” said Andrei Nastasin, deputy spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry.

Russia also criticised the “manic desire” of the US to monopolise the process of political settlement in the Middle East, contributing to the current situation.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told the state news agency Ria that the killing of Haniyeh was an “absolutely unacceptable political assassination.”

Qatar, Jordan, and Egypt have condemned the killing as heinous and dangerous, viewing it as a deliberate move to derail ongoing peace negotiations in Gaza.

China also expressed concern over the incident, warning that it could lead to further destabilisation of the region.