TEHRAN – Iran has reiterated its determination to punish Israel for the assassination of Hamas Political Chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed hours after attending Masoud Pezeshkian’s inauguration ceremony in the Iranian capital of Tehran. 

During a weekly press conference on Monday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani emphasized that Iran will not be dissuaded from taking retaliatory measures in accordance with international law, stating, “Iran has the unquestionable right to protect its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Reports suggest multiple regional leaders have contacted Iranian authorities since Haniyeh’s assassination on Wednesday, as part of efforts to persuade Tehran to hold back from attacking Israel. Jordan’s foreign minister also made a rare visit to Tehran on Sunday – the first such visit by a Jordanian top diplomat in two decades. 

Iran has not specified how it will punish Israel for the terror act, but multiple officials, including the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, have affirmed that retaliation will be carried out. 

In his remarks to reporters, Kanaani highlighted the necessary political and legal actions that Iran has initiated following Haniyeh’s assassination. He firmly asserted, “Nobody is allowed to cast doubt on Iran’s legitimate right to retaliate and create deterrence." 

He elaborated, “We believe that Iran is entitled to punish the aggressor within the framework of international law… Iran will definitely and decisively take serious and deterrent measures by exercising its inherent right on the basis of international principles to ensure its security.”

The spokesman also expressed concern over the lack of action from international organizations against the crimes of the Zionist regime. He clarified, “Iran does not seek an escalation of tensions but intends to ensure stability,” adding, “Iran believes that stability will be achieved with the punishment of the aggressor.”

Kanaani mentioned that the ministerial council of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation is set to convene in Jeddah on Wednesday at Iran's behest to discuss the implications of Haniyeh's martyrdom.

Iranian authorities dismiss infiltration claims in Haniyeh assassination

The spokesperson for Iran's parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has said that no intelligence infiltration happened in the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas political bureau chief. 

Lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei quoted the deputy head of the Quds Force intelligence unit as rejecting the issue of infiltration in Iran's intelligence agencies regarding the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh.

Speaking at the Sunday meeting of the parliamentary National Security Committee, Rezaei condemned the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in the terrorist incident on July 31 and stated, “Today's meeting included the deputy head of the Quds Force intelligence unit, the deputy head of the Ministry of Intelligence, and the deputy head of Parliamentary Affairs of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps to examine various aspects of the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the chief of the political bureau of the Hamas movement.”

Rezaei noted that the Quds Force intelligence official presented a report on the regional situation since the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation until today, as well as details of the terrorist incident that led to Haniyeh's martyrdom. The official emphasized that the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran was not the result of infiltration, and this incident is under investigation, according to Rezaei. 

Rezaei emphasized that the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation was a strategic leap in the Resistance front, and this operation accelerated the destruction of the Zionist regime and obliterated its identity.

The spokesman for Iran’s parliamentary National Security Committee pointed out, “The Zionists have no choice but to accept defeat because they have not achieved any of their goals following the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation, and the army of this regime has suffered attrition over the past 10 months.”

“Furthermore, the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation caused 200,000 Zionist settlers to become displaced, which led the Zionist regime to carry out retaliatory acts by assassinating the commanders of the Axis of Resistance,” he added.

After the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, many news agencies and newspapers linked this terrorist incident to the infiltration of Mossad in Iran's intelligence organizations.