Iran reserves the right to carry out a “legitimate response” against Israel for the assassination in Tehran of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Iran’s acting foreign minister Ali Bagheri Kani told his Egyptian counterpart, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
Israel has not taken responsibility for the killing, but it has been widely presumed to have carried it out.
The region has been on alert for over two weeks for a possible direct Iranian attack against Israel in reprisal for the Haniyeh assassination.
The United States has hoped that the conclusion of the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, would avert any such an attack, which it fears would spark a regional war, just it hopes to restore calm to the Middle East.
Bagheri Kani emphasized the call that Iran’s response would be in line with what it sees as its "inherent and legitimate rights.”
Qatari involvement
Just one day earlier he spoke with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed al-Thani.
Both Qatar and Egypt have been mediating efforts for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal with the help of the US.
Qatar hosted ceasefire talks in Doha on Friday and Egypt is set to host what the US hopes will be a final round of talks next Wednesday.
In describing conversation X, the Iranian Foreign Ministry quoted Baghari Kani explaining that “we discussed the latest regarding the Zionist regime's crimes in #Gaza and the ways to halt them” including through diplomacy.
The Washington Post reported that Al-Thani had asked Iran to refrain from directly attacking Israel. The United States has sent the same message.
Pundits have speculated that Iran could choose another means of response that does not include a direct attack, even though the threat of such a possibility remains high.
A senior US official told reporters on Friday that his country was prepared to help defend Israel against an Iranian attack as it did in April. The US has deployed additional military resources to the region to help with such efforts.
The official said, however, that “I think the driving goal is to ultimately de-escalate tensions in the region. And Iran claims to those that they are speaking with, including many of my colleagues here from Qatar who are in touch with senior Iranian officials over the last two days .. that they want to see a ceasefire in Gaza.”