Iran holds US responsible for Tehran strike as Washington denies involvement

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Israel will face ‘harsh punishment’ for its illegal attack on the country

News Desk - The Cradle

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on 31 July that Washington must also bear responsibility for the Israeli strike that killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran that morning. 

“This terrorist act is not only a flagrant violation of the principles and rules of international law and the United Nations Charter, but also a serious threat to regional and international peace and security,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. 

“The Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes the responsibility of the US government as a supporter and accomplice of the Zionist regime in the continuation of the occupation and genocide of the Palestinians, in committing this heinous act of terrorism,” the statement added. 

The comments came shortly after US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Washington was not involved in the attack. 

“This is something we were not aware of or involved in. It's very hard to speculate,” Blinken said during an interview with Channel News Asia while on a trip to Singapore, responding to a question on how this development could impact the region.

He added that the US would do everything possible to secure a ceasefire and exchange of captives. 

Negotiations to reach a deal in Gaza, in which Haniyeh played a significant role, have been jeopardized by the assassination, according to regional officials. 

“How can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on the other side?” Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said via social media on Wednesday. 

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on 30 July said that Tehran would retaliate for Haniyeh’s killing, which took place on its soil during a diplomatic visit – a flagrant violation of international law.

“Israel has secured a harsh punishment for itself by assassinating Haniyeh. Revenge for Haniyeh, who was assassinated in the sanctuary of the Islamic Republic of Iran, is our duty,” Khamenei said.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Iran and Axis of Resistance as a whole would respond to the assassination. 

The attack came hours after an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the southern suburbs of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, which marked a serious escalation. 

Three civilians, a woman and two children, were killed in the attack, and around 70 were injured. The target was Fuad Shukr, top military advisor to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and the director of the entirety of the resistance group’s military operations.

Fears of a regional flare-up are increasing as a result.