Iran says Hamas chief's assassination not possible without U.S. support

Iran's caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani said that the assassination of Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh was not possible without U.S. green light and intelligence support.

He made the remarks at Wednesday's extraordinary ministerial meeting of the Executive Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss Haniyeh's assassination, among other things, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

Bagheri Kani described the Hamas chief's assassination as "only one instance of Israel's terrorist crimes," saying it was a "flagrant aggression against Iran's national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

He called on the UN Security Council to hold Israel accountable for such violations and bring those responsible to trial and punishment.

Bagheri Kani said the U.S. responsibility as Israel's main supporter should not be overlooked in the "heinous crime," whose perpetration was not possible without the U.S. green light and intelligence support.

He said in the absence of any appropriate action by the UN Security Council, Iran had no other alternative but to use its "inherent right to legitimate self-defense in the face of Israel's aggressions."

Bagheri Kani emphasized that such an action by Iran was necessary to prevent further "aggressions" by Israel against Iran's sovereignty, people, and territory and would be taken at the "required time and in a proportionate form."

Haniyeh, who had been invited to attend Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's swearing-in ceremony, was killed along with his bodyguard in the early hours of July 31 when their residence in Tehran was hit. Iran accused Israel of carrying out the attack and vowed "a harsh and painful response."