Iran Expects Muslim Countries to Support Revenge for Haniyeh's Death - Top Diplomat
© AP Photo / Adel Hana
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iran expects other Muslim countries to support it in its "legitimate right" to retaliate against Israel for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh on its soil, acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani said on Wednesday.
"It is expected that Islamic countries will support the inherent and legitimate right of Iran to give a legal and appropriate response to the Israeli aggression because Iran's action is not only meant to defend its own sovereignty and national security but also to defend the stability and security of the entire region," Bagheri Kani said.
The top Iranian diplomat spoke at a meeting with Hissein Brahim Taha, head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in Jeddah on the sidelines of the IOC emergency meeting, which condemned Haniyeh's assassination and blamed it on Israel.
The United States and some European countries not only failed to condemn Israel's killing of Palestinian movement Hamas' political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, but also continue to support Tel Aviv, which means they are trying to maintain instability in the Middle East, the minister also said at the meeting.
"While we witnessed a united and coordinated position of Islamic countries in condemning the terrorist act of the Israeli regime, the United States and a number of European countries, on the contrary, not only failed to condemn this act, but also continued to follow their approach in supporting Israel, which shows that these countries do not want to see peace and stability in the region and are trying to maintain instability in it," the Iranian Foreign Ministry quoted Bagheri Kani as saying.
Last week, Haniyeh was killed in an airstrike on his residence in Tehran, where he attended the inauguration of Iran's new president. Hamas accused Israel and the United States of being behind Haniyeh's death and vowed retaliation.
