According to a senior Iranian security official, Iran, along with allies such as Hezbollah, will launch a direct attack if ceasefire negotiations in Gaza fail or if they perceive Israel to be prolonging the talks, but did not specify how long that "prolonging" would be.
Two Iranian sources said Iran would support Hezbollah and other allies if they retaliated for the assassination of Haniyeh and Hezbollah's senior military commander Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an airstrike in Beirut the day before Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran.
One source said that a ceasefire in Gaza would allow Iran to carry out a more limited and "symbolic" retaliatory response.
A banner featuring an image of the late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is displayed on a street in Tehran, Iran. Photo: WANA
With the risk of a wider conflict in the Middle East increasing following the two assassinations, Iran has recently engaged in extensive dialogue with Western countries, according to anonymous sources.
In comments published on August 13, the US ambassador to Türkiye confirmed that Washington is asking its ally to help persuade Iran to de-escalate tensions to avoid further escalation ahead of ceasefire talks in Gaza, scheduled to begin on August 15 in Egypt or Qatar.
"We hope our response will be calculated and implemented in a way that does not harm the potential ceasefire," the Iranian delegation to the United Nations said on August 9. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said on August 13 that calls for restraint "are contrary to the principles of international law."
Over the weekend, Hamas expressed doubts about whether the talks would take place. Israel and Hamas have held several rounds of talks in recent months without reaching a final ceasefire agreement.
In Israel, many observers believe there will be an immediate reaction after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that Iran would "severely punish" Israel for the attack on Tehran.
"We are closely monitoring what is happening in Beirut and Tehran, and are working to prevent any threats, preparing various attack options," Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said during a visit to an intelligence base in northern Israel.
Iranian analyst Saeed Laylaz said that the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran are now hoping for a ceasefire in Gaza "to gain momentum, avoid a full-scale war, and consolidate their position in the region."
Two sources said Iran is considering sending a representative to the ceasefire talks. However, this representative would not directly attend the meetings but would participate in behind-the-scenes discussions "to maintain diplomatic lines of communication" with the US while the negotiations are underway.
Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/iran-noi-chi-co-lenh-ngung-ban-o-gaza-moi-co-the-tri-hoan-viec-tra-dua-israel-post307599.html
