Iran criticized Israel for committing a ‘heinous crime’ when killing the leader of Hamas

“Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has publicly and brazenly admitted that the Israeli government was responsible for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh while he was visiting Iran. This brazenness marks the first time Israel has publicly announced accept responsibility for the heinous crime,” Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani stated in a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on December 24.

The statement was made after the Israeli Defense Minister admitted on December 23 that the country was behind the assassination of Hamas leader Haniyeh in Iran in July. Mr. Haniyeh, 62 years old, then came to Iran to attend the inauguration ceremony of President Masoud Pezeshkian and stayed at a guest house on the outskirts of Tehran.

Before Mr. Katz’s statement, Israel had never admitted to killing the Hamas leader. However, Iran and Hamas both believe that Tel Aviv is behind the incident. Iran said the assassin group launched a short-range warhead weighing about 7 kg into Mr. Haniyeh’s room, while Western media hypothesized that the Hamas leader’s residence was planted with a bomb.

In October, Iran announced that it had launched 200 missiles at Israel in response. Israel said most of the missiles were intercepted.

In a letter to the United Nations Secretary General, the Iranian ambassador called the assassination of Mr. Haniyeh a “brutal act” and Minister Katz’s statement showed that Iran acted “legally and justly” when attacking in response. Israel.

“That statement also reaffirmed Tehran’s consistent stance that the Israeli government remains the most serious threat to regional and international peace and security,” the Iranian ambassador emphasized.

Iran also said that the United Nations Security Council “cannot continue to grant immunity to a government that blatantly challenges international law, destabilizes the region, threatens and endangers peace and security.” international security”.

“The silence of the Security Council, which is entrusted with the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, not only encourages Israel to commit more atrocities, but also undermines the principles core of the United Nations,” the Iranian ambassador added.

Yahya Sinwar, who succeeded Mr. Haniyeh in August, was killed in mid-October when he accidentally encountered a group of Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Gaza. In October, Hamas sources told AFP that the group will be led by a five-person committee, instead of choosing a new leader to succeed Sinwar, until the March 2025 election.

Hamas, along with allies such as the Houthis and Hezbollah, belongs to the “resistance axis” backed by Iran to counter US and Israeli influence in the region. Tel Aviv considers these groups an “axis of evil”.