Iran is all set to carry out Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's order to "harshly punish" Israel over the assassination of Hamas’ top leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Revolutionary Guards deputy commander Ali Fadavi said that the order by the supreme leader was "clear and explicit". He added that the order would be implemented as soon as possible.
Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of killing Haniyeh, while he was in Tehran to attend the presidential ceremony on July 31. Israel has not denied or claimed responsibility for the killing so far.
Responding to Iran's latest response, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the US is ready to defend Israel with plenty of resources in the region.
Meanwhile, the United States, Egypt and Qatar on Thursday called on Israel and Hamas to meet for negotiations on August 15 in Doha or Cairo to finalise a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. The negotiation talks took a hit after Haniyeh’s death.
Iran's UN Mission in New York said that its priority is to establish a lasting Gaza ceasefire. It also added that the Israeli regime has violated their national security and sovereignty.
"We've been engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and partners who are communicating that message directly to Iran. We communicated that message directly to Israel," said a US spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting on Wednesday held Israel fully responsible for killing Haniyeh. Saudi Arabia extended its support and pointed out that the strike was a "blatant violation of Iran's sovereignty."
Saudi's foreign minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji rejected "any violation of the sovereignty of states or interference in the internal affairs of any country.”
Iran and Palestinian officials called for the 57-member OIC meeting in Saudi's Jeddah.
Hezbollah has also vowed to attack Israel after the assassination of its senior commander Fouad Shukur in Beirut.
