US officials say that an attack by Tehran is not considered imminent.
According to Politico, citing senior US officials, Iran may be reconsidering its plans for a “multi-pronged attack” on Israel in response to the killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh.
Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran a week ago, shortly after attending the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. In response, Iran vowed “harsh punishment” for Israel, which has not acknowledged or denied involvement in the killing. Initially, Washington anticipated a large-scale missile and drone strike against Israel early this week, but the attack has not yet occurred.
The publication reported on Wednesday that this delay is attributed to the diplomatic efforts of US President Joe Biden’s administration. In recent days, the administration has been actively engaged in diplomacy, urging American allies in the Middle East to persuade Tehran to reconsider its plans to strike Israel.
Two high-ranking US officials told Politico that Washington warned Tehran through intermediaries that “a massive strike would only inflame tensions and risk a direct confrontation between the two countries.”
Initially, Iranian officials rejected the US claim that Haniyeh’s killing did not warrant a large-scale response, arguing that it was the result of a bomb planted in a covert operation and not part of a broader attack on Iran. However, the sources claim that Tehran is now “increasingly on board” with this interpretation of events.
The officials also mentioned that Washington emphasized the fact that no Iranian citizens were killed in the attack on the Hamas political chief.
“Tehran seems to have re-calibrated and the US does not expect an attack on Israel imminently,” the sources said. However, they added that “some kind of Iranian response” to Haniyeh’s assassination should still be expected.
The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Israel informed the US about the Hamas political chief’s assassination after the fact, which caused “surprise and outrage” in the White House.
Speaking at the extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, Iran’s acting foreign minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, called Haniyeh’s killing “only one example of the terrorist crimes of the Israeli regime in the region and beyond.”
With the US preventing the UN Security Council from taking “appropriate action… against the aggressions of the Israeli regime, Iran has no choice but to use its inherent right to legitimate defense,” the diplomat insisted.