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It appears that European countries close to Israel, along with the United States, are trying to link Iran’s legal right to respond to Israel’s terrorist act to the issue of a cease-fire and, in effect, portray Tehran as responsible for escalating regional tensions and undermining efforts to achieve a cease-fire.
It seems that European countries cozy with Israel, in cahoots with the United States, are attempting to tie Iran’s legal right to respond to Israel’s terrorist act with the cease-fire issue. In doing so, they effectively shift the blame to Tehran for ramping up regional tensions and throwing a spanner in the works of cease-fire efforts. On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden, in response to a question about whether he expected Iran to refrain from responding to Israel if a cease-fire was reached in Gaza, said that he would expect that.
In response to these claims, Iran’s mission to the UN emphasized on Friday that “a sustainable cease-fire in Gaza is our priority; any agreement that Hamas accepts will be accepted by us as well. We have the right to self-defense, and this is separate from the Gaza cease-fire, but we hope that our response will be timed and carried out in a way that does not undermine a potential cease-fire.”
From the outset of the Gaza war, Iran has opposed the continuation of the war and the country has consistently supported efforts to achieve a cease-fire. In the previous confrontation with Israel, which involved the targeting of its consulate building in Damascus, Tehran responded to the terrorist act in a way that did not lead to a wider war or increased regional tensions, taking into account national and regional interests, and avoided escalating the situation into a full-blown war or heightening regional tensions.
Another key point to note is that while Iran stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Gaza and resistance movements, it doesn’t meddle in the decision-making of these movements, Hamas included. Hence, Hamas takes the driver’s seat when it comes to calls on a cease-fire agreement, and as Iran’s mission to the UN has articulated, if such an agreement is clinched, Tehran will be on board.
Reuters also claimed, quoting sources in Iran, that Tehran would refrain from retaliating against Israel for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh if a cease-fire agreement is reached in the Gaza war.
However, CNN, citing an informed source, painted a different picture, saying, “Cease-fire talks won’t deter Iran from responding to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh.” Another source told the news network, that there is concern across the region that Iran may not refrain from attacking Israel because the Biden administration is not putting enough pressure on Netanyahu to reach an agreement.
As of the writing of this report, the presence of Hamas representatives in today’s negotiations remains uncertain. A Hamas official told Lebanon’s al-Mayadeen that the group would not participate in Thursday’s talks. Netanyahu has put forward new conditions that weaken the negotiation process. Reuters also quoted a source in Hamas as saying that the movement is committed to the previously agreed-upon principles and emphasizes implementing such agreements instead of resuming futile negotiations.