Iran rejects Western calls to refrain from attack on Israel

Iran has firmly rejected calls from the UK and other Western nations to refrain from retaliating against Israel following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during a visit to Tehran last month. This development comes amidst a surge of international diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating the rising tensions in the region. In a rare phone conversation on Monday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to 'stand down its ongoing threats of a military attack. ' However, President Pezeshkian responded by asserting that retaliation is a 'way to stop crime' and a 'legal right' of Iran, as reported by Iranian state media. Meanwhile, Israel, which has not confirmed its involvement in Haniyeh's assassination, has heightened its military readiness to the highest alert level. The United States has issued warnings that it is preparing for 'a significant set of attacks' from Iran or its proxies, with an increased military presence in the Middle East to support Israel. Additionally, the powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon has threatened to retaliate for the killing of one of its top commanders in an airstrike in Beirut. On Monday evening, leaders from the UK, France, and Germany released a joint statement urging Iran and its allies to 'refrain from attacks that would further escalate regional tensions. ' They emphasized that any aggressive actions would be their responsibility and could jeopardize the opportunity for peace and stability. Prime Minister Starmer also expressed his deep concerns directly to President Pezeshkian during their phone call, which marked the first such communication since March 2021. Starmer warned Pezeshkian about the serious risk of miscalculation and stressed the importance of calm and careful consideration. He urged Iran to avoid attacking Israel, stating that war is not in anyone's interests. On Tuesday morning, President Pezeshkian informed Starmer that the support from Western countries for Israel has emboldened it to 'continue atrocities' and poses a threat to peace and security. He emphasized that, from the perspective of the Islamic Republic of Iran, war in any part of the world is not in the interest of any nation. Pezeshkian also highlighted that a punitive response to an aggressor is a legal right of states and a means to halt crime and aggression. The Iranian foreign ministry separately dismissed the calls for restraint from London, Paris, and Berlin, stating that such demands lack political logic and contradict the principles of international law. The Israeli military has taken Iran's statements seriously, with spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stating that they are prepared at peak readiness in both offense and defense, ready to act according to government directives. An Israeli government spokesperson warned Iran and its allies that Israel would 'exact a heavy price for any aggression against us from any arena. ' US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby echoed these sentiments, stating that the US shares the same concerns and expectations as its Israeli counterparts regarding potential timing. He noted that it could happen this week. Kirby added that it is challenging to determine what an attack by Iran or its proxies might entail, but the US must be prepared. In response to the escalating situation, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has dispatched a second aircraft carrier strike group and a guided missile submarine to the Middle East, reinforcing the Pentagon's commitment to defending Israel. The US believes that a new ceasefire deal in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages would be the best way to ease tensions in the region, and it has called for talks to resume on Thursday. Israel has indicated that it will send a team of negotiators to finalize a deal, while Hamas has shown a willingness to participate despite the loss of its leader. Hamas stated that any agreement must be based on the discussions that took place a month and a half ago, rather than initiating new negotiations. Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza to dismantle Hamas in response to an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages taken. Since then, more than 39,920 individuals have lost their lives in Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Additionally, hundreds have died in the ongoing exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli military along the Israel-Lebanon border since the conflict began.