Assassination of Hamas leader: Iran accuses US of complicity, Washington denies involvement
According to RT, Tehran claimed that Washington was an accomplice in the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh through its support for Israel.
Specifically, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on July 31 (local time) that the US was partly responsible for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. The Palestinian leader was assassinated in a missile attack targeting his residence in Tehran earlier that day.
The ministry accused Israel of carrying out the attack, calling it part of a hunt for Palestinian leaders and a "terrorist act" aimed at Iran's "sovereignty and territorial integrity".
Mr Haniyeh was in Iran to attend the inauguration of new President Masoud Pezeshkian. The ministry said in a statement that Tehran reserved the right to "respond appropriately to this act of aggression".
“The Islamic Republic of Iran stresses the responsibility of the US government as a supporter and accomplice” of Israel, including in “carrying out this heinous terrorist act,” the statement said.
According to Tehran, Israel seeks to destabilize the Middle East and the July 31 attack poses a "serious threat" to regional and international peace and stability.
Washington has denied any role in the incident. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Singapore-based news agency CNA that the US had “no knowledge or involvement” in the assassination.
Asked whether the assassination of Mr Haniyeh could change the course of the war in Gaza, Mr Blinken cautioned against speculation and stressed that negotiating a ceasefire was “essential”.
Israel has not commented on the attack, but state media have said, citing unnamed Iranian officials, that the rocket that hit Haniyeh's compound may have been fired from inside Iran. Israel has previously vowed to eliminate Hamas leaders.
The development comes as the conflict between Israel and the Gaza-based Palestinian militant group approaches its ninth month. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to destroy Hamas in response to the October 7, 2023, raid that left about 1,100 people dead. More than 200 people have also been taken hostage and held in Gaza.
Israel responded to the attack by launching a major military campaign in Gaza that included heavy bombing followed by a ground offensive. According to local authorities, nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the area since the fighting began.
