Iran Has Right to Respond to 'Terrorist Crimes': Tehran to Cairo

By Al Mayadeen English

In a phone call on Saturday, Abdel-Ati congratulated Araghchi on his appointment and wished him success in his new position after he received a vote of confidence from the Iranian parliament.

Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, and Badr Abdel-Ati, his Egyptian counterpart have discussed bilateral relations and regional challenges, especially the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza.

In a phone call on Saturday, Abdel-Ati congratulated Araghchi on his appointment and wished him success in his new position after he received a vote of confidence from the Iranian parliament to become the official foreign minister.

The Iranian parliament has granted confidence to President Masoud Pezeshkian’s government, speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf announced Wednesday, after lawmakers convened to cast a vote of confidence on the proposed cabinet, resulting in the approval of all nominated candidates.

He also updated the Iranian foreign minister on Egypt's diplomatic efforts in recent days to assist in securing a ceasefire in Gaza and send humanitarian aid to the Palestinian strip.

Meanwhile, Abdel-Ati underlined the need for all sides to work together to prevent the conflict from spreading throughout the region.

Araghchi thanked Egypt for its efforts to broker a Gaza ceasefire, to which Hamas, the Palestinian resistance movement, has agreed.

He also stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran has the legitimate right to retaliate against the Israeli regime's "terrorist crime" of assassinating Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Haniyeh was assassinated in an Israeli strike on his home on July 31, one day after attending Iran's new president Masoud Pezeshkian's inauguration.

The two senior diplomats decided to continue conversations on Tehran-Cairo relations and regional developments.

Iran reserves the right to respond to the Israeli assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month, reiterated Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday.

In a phone conversation with his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne, Araghchi condemned Haniyeh's assassination as a violation of Iran’s territorial integrity, stressing that his country maintains the right to retaliate against this "terror act".

He also urged France and other Western countries to hold the Israeli occupation regime accountable for being the main instigator of the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said "Israel" and the United States "would not dare" commit any crimes in the region had the Muslim nation been united, in a statement condemning the 10-month-long genocide in Gaza. 

Pezeshkian made the comments during a ceremony on Saturday at Imam Khomeini’s shrine in southern Tehran, where he reaffirmed his cabinet's commitment to the principles of the late founder of the Islamic Republic at the start of Administration Week.

Addressing the atrocities committed by "Israel" in Gaza, the Iranian president questioned whether the occupation, the US, Europe, or any other power would have dared to act in this manner had Muslims been united. 

"Would Israel have dared to do a damn thing in this region if Muslims had been united? Not only them, but the US, Europe, and any other power, could they do any of these things?"

We are not prepared for a regional war: Israeli media

Israeli media has highlighted increasing discord between the occupation's military and political leaders over negotiating a ceasefire and prisoner exchange in the Gaza Strip. According to the Makor Rishon newspaper, the situation is critical, with the outcome of the entire war hanging in the balance, not just the fate of the captives. 

The security and military officials are advocating for a temporary ceasefire, while those opposing any deal have fortified their stance with new arguments, believing that halting the war at this point would be catastrophic. As a result, the rift between them is widening.

The newspaper highlighted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has determined that "Israel's strategic interests necessitate the Israeli army's continued presence in the Philadelphi and Netzarim Corridors." In contrast, the security and military establishment contends that such a presence is unnecessary. 

According to Makor Rishon, another key objective for the General Staff in the proposed deal is to secure the ceasefire itself. The General Staff believes that "Israel" urgently needs this ceasefire to regroup and strategize for the northern front. Meanwhile, the political leadership would have the opportunity to deliberate and determine the next steps.

The Israeli newspaper highlighted, "What does 'absolute victory' actually entail? What kind of lasting settlement in the Gaza Strip does Netanyahu envision? Does he genuinely have a plan to restore peace and security to the al-Jalil?"