TEHRAN – Mohammad Hossein Soltanifar, head of Iran's office for the protection of interests in Egypt, has lauded Hamas' decision to skip the latest round of ceasefire talks in Doha, Qatar, as analysts warn Washington is trying to buy time for Israel before Iran retaliates for the regime’s assassination of Hamas Political Chief Ismail Haniyeh. 

In a post on X, Soltanifar declared Hamas' stance "decisive and correct," arguing that participation in talks with Israeli officials would only serve to legitimize the Zionist regime. 

He emphasized Iran's unwavering support for the Palestinian nation and the Axis of Resistance, declaring, "Iran will stand firmly with the Palestinian people and their right to resist the occupation."

Soltanifar also addressed the recent assassination of Hamas’ political chief in Tehran, stating, "Iran may forgo its right to revenge for Haniyeh's martyrdom if a ceasefire deal is reached and the displaced people of Gaza are returned, but only to save the Palestinian nation." However, he warned, "Iran reserves the right to respond to the Israeli prime minister and his 'clan,' who are like ferocious animals."

Referring to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and the leaders of the U.S., France, the U.K., Germany, Canada, Italy, and Australia, he continued, "They are responsible for the bloodshed in Gaza and must be held accountable for their crimes.”

Soltanifar's statement echoes the sentiments of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, who has vowed a "harsh response" to Haniyeh's assassination.

The Palestinian leader was killed in a Tehran residence on July 31, hours after he attended the inauguration ceremony of President Masoud Pezeshkian. 

Meanwhile, Hamas has publicly denounced the Doha talks, with senior official Sami Abu Zuhri stating, "Going to new negotiations allows the occupation to impose new conditions and employ the maze of negotiation to conduct more massacres."

The latest round of talks held on Thursday and Friday, facilitated by mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S., “aimed to prevent a further escalation of tensions in the region” as claimed by some American officials. However, it seems that the negotiations have failed to bear any results.

In a statement published after the conclusion of the latest round of negotiations on Friday, Hamas announced that it had received the results of the talks, condemning Israel for refusing to make any concessions. The Palestinian group said no progress was made during the two-day discussions. The mediators say they want to hold more talks in the future. 

Analysts suggest that Washington's promotion of a new round of ceasefire talks, after the previous ones ended due to Israel’s intransigence, is not driven by a genuine desire for peace in Gaza, but rather by a strategic attempt to delay Iran's retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Haniyeh.