In a recent interview with AFP, Iran’s acting foreign minister Ali Bagheri criticized Israel for what he described as a “strategic mistake” following the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week. Bagheri labeled the Israeli action as a grave error that would have severe repercussions for the Jewish state.
Bagheri made these remarks shortly after participating in an extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The meeting saw foreign ministers from the 57-member OIC condemn Israel for Haniyeh’s death and hold the country “fully responsible” for the attack. Haniyeh, a prominent figure in the Hamas organization, had been based in Qatar and was involved in negotiations to address the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Iran has vowed retaliation against Israel, which has not officially commented on the killing of Haniyeh. The region remains on high alert as tensions escalate. Bagheri accused Israel of attempting to “expand tension, war, and conflict to other countries,” asserting that Israel lacks the capability and strength to engage in a direct conflict with Iran.
The recent escalation follows the October 7 attacks by Hamas on southern Israel, which resulted in 1,198 fatalities, predominantly civilians. In response, Israel has conducted a military campaign in Gaza, leading to the deaths of at least 39,699 people, as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry, although details on civilian versus militant casualties remain unclear.
Additionally, Hezbollah, a Lebanese ally of Hamas, has pledged to retaliate for the killings of Haniyeh and its own military commander Fuad Shukr, who was also targeted in an Israeli strike in Beirut.
Sources By Agencies
