Iran Vows ‘Harsh Punishment’ for Haniyeh Killing, Türkiye Condemns Assassination  

A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shows him (R) meeting with Palestinian Hamas movement leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 30, 2024. (Photo by KHAMENEI.IR / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shows him (R) meeting with Palestinian Hamas movement leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 30, 2024. (Photo by KHAMENEI.IR / AFP)
TT

Iran Vows ‘Harsh Punishment’ for Haniyeh Killing, Türkiye Condemns Assassination  

A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shows him (R) meeting with Palestinian Hamas movement leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 30, 2024. (Photo by KHAMENEI.IR / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shows him (R) meeting with Palestinian Hamas movement leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 30, 2024. (Photo by KHAMENEI.IR / AFP)

Avenging Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's assassination is "Tehran's duty" because it occurred in the Iranian capital, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday.

He said Israel had provided the grounds for "harsh punishment" for itself.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the killing.

He said in a post on the X platform that his country will defend its territorial integrity and make those responsible regret their actions.

Hamas has blamed Israel for the assassination.

Hamas said Haniyeh was killed at his residence in Tehran in an Israeli airstrike after he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s new president. Israel has not commented on the accusation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the assassination, saying the killing would not break Palestinians' will.

"This assassination is a vileness that aims to disrupt the Palestinian cause, Gaza's noble resistance and our Palestinian siblings' rightful struggle, to break the will of Palestinians, and to intimidate them," Erdogan said on social media platform X. "However, just as until today, the Zionist barbarism will not reach its goals."

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said he was "deeply saddened" to hear that Haniyeh had been "martyred", adding that he had become a symbol of Palestinian resistance.

"He had devoted his life to the Palestinian cause, and to bringing peace and tranquility to Palestine," Fidan added on social media platform X, sharing a photograph of himself and Haniyeh.

Russia's foreign ministry also condemned the killing and called for restraint to stop the Middle East tipping into a large-scale war.

China condemned the assassination, with its foreign ministry warning the incident could lead to further regional instability.



Blinken Says US Not Involved in Killing of Hamas Leader

FILE PHOTO: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, May 21, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, May 21, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
TT

Blinken Says US Not Involved in Killing of Hamas Leader

FILE PHOTO: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, May 21, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, May 21, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday the United States was not involved in the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and reiterated the importance of a ceasefire in Gaza.

"This is something we were not aware of or involved in. It's very hard to speculate," Blinken said in an interview with Channel News Asia during a visit to Singapore, Reuters reported.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed Haniyeh's death, hours after he attended a swearing-in ceremony for the country's new president.

Haniyeh, who leads the Palestinian militant group and is normally based in Qatar, has been the face of Hamas's international diplomacy as the war set off by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7 has raged in Gaza.

"I've learned over many years never to speculate on the impact one event may have on something else," Blinken said when asked what impact Haniyeh's death might have on the war.

The assassination, less than 24 hours after Israel claimed to have killed a Hezbollah commander it said was behind a deadly strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, could be a major setback for chances of a ceasefire agreement in the 10-month-old war.

Blinken, who has been in Asia since late last week, said a ceasefire and the release of hostages being held in Gaza was crucial and the United States would do everything to make that happen.

"It's vitally important to hopefully put things on a better path for more enduring peace and more enduring security, so that focus remains."