ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for a halt to “escalatory actions” in the Middle East and urged for a ceasefire in Gaza following the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Iran attributed the strike to Israel, though Israel has not commented on the incident.
Haniyeh’s death came shortly after Israel claimed responsibility for killing a top Hezbollah commander in Beirut, further heightening regional tensions amid the ongoing war in Gaza. This conflict has involved Iran-backed militant groups from Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen.
Speaking in Mongolia, Blinken emphasized the urgent need to prevent further conflict and suffering. He stressed that achieving a ceasefire, which the US is working towards with Egypt and Qatar, requires all parties to cease escalatory actions and engage in dialogue.
Blinken refrained from commenting directly on Haniyeh’s assassination or its potential impact on the ceasefire efforts, maintaining his focus on the broader goal of de-escalation and peace in the region.
Funeral Prayer of Hamas Leader Offered in Tehran
His remarks come as the funeral prayers of Hamas’s political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh and his security guard have been offered in Tehran, Iranian media reported on Thursday. According to Press TV, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has led funeral prayers for Ismail Haniyeh and his security guard, who were assassinated in Tehran on Wednesday. A large number of people attended the funeral procession of Ismail Haniyeh.
Iranian media cited sources as saying that the funeral of Ismail Haniyeh will be offered in Doha on Friday. On the other hand, Hamas said in a statement that his body will be shifted to Doha for a burial of “the martyr leader of the movement” following funeral in Tehran. Khaled Meshaal, a prominent figure in Hamas, is tipped to assume the leadership role of the Palestinian resistance movement after the assassination of Haniyeh in Tehran.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has issued directives Iran to strike Israel directly, in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, New York Times reported, quoting three Iranian officials, briefed on the order, including two personnel of the Revolutionary Guards.
The Iranian leader gave the order at an emergency meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on Wednesday morning, shortly following Iranian officials announced that Ismail Haniyeh had been assassinated in Tehran.
Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh. Israel has a long history of killing Hamas leaders, Iranian nuclear scientists and military commanders, the New York Times reported.
