TEHRAN– The spokesman for the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has reiterated Iran’s determination to punish Israel for its assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran after U.S. President Joe Biden said “don’t” in a plea to Iranian officials urging them to refrain from attacking the occupied territories. 

In an address to reporters on Sunday, Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini condemned Israel’s assassination of Hamas’ former political chief as a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter, asserting that the regime would face serious consequences for its “folly.” 

“The enemy thinks it can compensate for its defeat on the battlefield with assassination, while the existence and identity of the usurping Israel have become more vulnerable to collapse following the assassination of martyr Haniyeh,” the spokesman noted, adding that the fear of Iran’s retaliation has “permeated the occupied territories.”

Haniyeh was assassinated in a Tehran residence on July 31, hours after he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The IRGC official's remarks come after Biden directly addressed Iran’s upcoming response to the regime. "Don’t," Biden responded to reporters on Saturday before entering his vehicle, when he was asked: "What’s your message to Iran?"

The American government has engaged multiple countries in recent days to dissuade Tehran from giving a harsh punishment to Israel's latest terror attack on Iranian soil. Iranian officials, however, have all repeated the same position Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei took on the day of Haniyeh’s killing. 

“The criminal, terrorist Zionist regime martyred our dear guest in our territory and has caused our grief, but it has also prepared the ground for a severe punishment... Following this bitter, tragic event... it is our duty to take revenge,” The Leader said in a statement. Washington is accused of being the main force behind Israel’s capability and audacity to commit heinous crimes. 

Another high-ranking official to emphasize Ayatollah Khamenei’s stance on Sunday was Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. “Zionists are a disgrace to humanity. they understand nothing but the language of force,” the speaker said. "The Israeli regime's crimes have no boundaries. Zionists should prepare for a harsh response.”