A number of Iranian officials are emphasising the Leader of the Islamic Revolution’s vow to take revenge on Israel for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. He was killed when a shell hit his temporary residence in northern Tehran, according to a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The head of the Hamas political bureau travelled to Iran to attend the inauguration ceremony of President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who led the funeral prayer over Haniyeh’s body before it was handed over to Qatar, vowed to avenge the blood of Iran’s ‘dear guest’. “The criminal and terrorist Zionist regime tortured our dear guest in our homeland and left us inconsolable, but it also prepared the ground for its own severe punishment” the Leader said in a statement released hours after Haniyeh’s assassination. The first senior Iranian official to restate the leader’s oath was Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, an influential figure in Iran’s political system. He blamed Washington directly, saying that no Israeli crime is ever committed without direct coordination from the US. Analysts believe Washington gave the green light for Haniyeh’s assassination during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent trip to the US, a visit that included his harsh speech before Congress.

What is Tehran planning?

Now analysts around the world are trying to predict the Iranian response to Netanyahu’s brazen provocation. The fact that these Israeli actions are aimed at dragging the US into the upcoming war in the Middle East is not even discussed – this is already evident. US President Joe Biden, finally having lost touch with reality, expressed hope that Iran would not strike at Israel in response to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Thus, the ‘green light’ from the US has long since been given to Netanyahu to pursue his policy of state terror.

Analysts also have no doubt that Iran will respond to this shameless murder. But what are Tehran’s plans and, most importantly, what can the Iranian authorities do and what orders will the Leader of the Islamic Revolution give? The nature of Iran’s reaction to the assassination of the Hamas representative remains uncertain. Some speculate that it could surpass........

© New Eastern Outlook