Tehran, Iran - August 01, 2024

Iran vowed on Monday to take "decisive" action against the "aggressor" behind the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, accusing Israel of carrying out a "cowardly" attack.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said the killing of Haniyeh, who was in Iran for the swearing-in of President Masoud Pezeshkian, was a "flagrant violation" of international law.

Iran will take its serious and deterrent action with "strength and decisiveness" to punish the "aggressor" based on its inherent right and the international law principles, Kanaani said at a weekly press conference.

He added that Tehran would pursue the matter through the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which will hold an emergency meeting of foreign ministers on Wednesday.

The same day, Iran's Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, when meeting with foreign diplomats in Tehran, called Haniyeh's assassination was against international law as well as regional and international security and stability, and violated Iran's national sovereignty and territorial integrity. He vowed that Iran will make a clear and decisive response to the Israeli actions.

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said Iran will teach Israel and its supporter, the United States, a "historic lesson."

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Hossein Salami has also warned that Israel is "digging its own grave" with its actions in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and will get their response.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Sunday Israel was "prepared very strongly" and ready to respond quickly to a potential Iranian retaliatory attack, adding that Israel will exact a price from the enemy.

According to U.S. and Israeli media reports, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commander General Michael Kurilla had arrived in Israel amid the soaring tensions between Iran and Israel.

According to the Lebanese military, Israel launched airstrikes and artillery attacks on several locations in southern Lebanon Sunday, killing two Hezbollah members, while Hezbollah said Monday it used multiple drones to attack Israeli military targets in the northern. According to the Israeli military, the attack wounded two Israeli soldiers.

France, Italy, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia warned their citizens not to travel to Lebanon and urged those already in the country to leave as soon as possible due to the risk of military escalation in the Middle East.

Shotlist:
Tehran, Iran - Aug 1, 2024:
1. Various of people attending funeral procession of assassinated Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh;
FILE: Tehran, Iran - April 2, 2024
2. Various of national flags of Iran, traffic;
FILE: Tehran, Iran - Date Unknown
3. Various of Azadi Tower, Iranian national flags, traffic;
FILE: Israel - Nov 1, 2022
4. Various of Israeli Parliament Knesset, national flag of Israel;
FILE: Tel Aviv, Israel - April 7-8, 2019
5. Various of buildings, traffic;
FILE: Northern Israel - Oct 15, 2023
6. Various of Israeli tanks, national flag on tank;
FILE: Erez Crossing, Israel - Jan 18, 2024
7. Various of Israel's military vehicles passing Erez Crossing, Israeli troops;
Deir el-Balah, Gaza Strip - July 27, 2024
8. Various of residents, debris;
Khan Younis, Gaza Strip - July 22, 2024
9. Various of smoke rising from damaged building, residents;
Beirut, Lebanon - July 31, 2024
10. Various of damaged buildings, shattered windows in wake of Israeli strike, workers on site.

[Restriction - No access Chinese mainland/Al-Arabiya/Persian language TV Stations outside Iran. Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International TV]