Iran will carry out Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's order to impose “severe sanctions” on Israel over the killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran, a deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards said Friday (8/9) via a local news agency.
“The instructions from the supreme leader to severely punish Israel and avenge the blood of the martyr Ismail Haniyeh are very clear… and will be done as best as possible,” said Ali Fadavi, as quoted by Iranian media.
Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of killing Haniyeh on July 31. Israel has not confirmed or denied any involvement in the incident, which has raised concerns that the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip could escalate into a wider Middle East war.
Asked by reporters to respond to Fadavi's remarks, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. is ready to defend Israel with all the resources available in the region. He added, “When we hear that kind of rhetoric, we have to take it seriously, and that's what we're doing.”
Iran's mission to the United Nations (UN) said Friday that Tehran's response to Israel's killing of Haniyeh was “completely separate” from efforts to mediate a ceasefire in the 10-month war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“However, we hope our response will be timely and carried out in a way that does not harm any potential ceasefire,” the mission said when asked whether Iran could delay its retaliation until after Gaza ceasefire talks next week.
The United States, Egypt and Qatar proposed on Thursday that Israel and Hamas hold a meeting on Aug. 15 in Doha or Cairo to discuss a ceasefire in Gaza and a deal to release hostages. Israel expressed willingness to attend, while a Hamas official told Reuters it was still considering the offer.
“Our priority is to establish a lasting ceasefire in Gaza; any agreement accepted by Hamas will also be recognized by us,” Iran's UN mission in New York said.
“The Israeli regime is undermining our national security and sovereignty through its recent acts of terrorism. We have the right to defend ourselves, and this has nothing to do with the Gaza ceasefire issue,” he said.
When asked about the Iran reports, a US State Department spokesman said: “We do not wish to speculate on what actions the Iranian regime might take.”
The spokesman said the United States continues to communicate with its partners in the region and beyond, adding, “In those conversations, we heard a clear consensus: no one should escalate this conflict.”
“We have been conducting intensive diplomacy with our allies and partners to convey that message directly to Iran. We have also conveyed the same message directly to Israel,” the spokesman said. (ah/ft)
