FT: EU & US seek to de-escalate after 'Israel' attacks Tehran, Beirut
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The Financial Times reported that officials from the United States and the European Union are holding urgent discussions across the Middle East in an attempt to contain the escalation following the Israeli assassinations of leaders in the Axis of Resistance.
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Deputy Secretary General and Political Director of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Enrique Mora in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, June 20, 2021. (AP)
US and EU diplomats are urgently discussing in the Middle East to prevent a full-blown regional war after "Israel" targeted Hezbollah and Hamas leaders in Beirut and Tehran respectively, according to a new report by the Financial Times.
Enrique Mora, one of the most senior EU diplomats, held critical talks in Tehran, on Wednesday, following the Israeli occupation's assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, as noted by the report.
In the meantime, Brett McGurk, the White House’s top Middle East official, engaged in discussions in Saudi Arabia. This Western diplomatic push comes amid heightened fears of a broader conflict as Iran and Hezbollah vowed to avenge the attacks.
"We feel the heavy burden and responsibility of the Palestinian cause, and this responsibility comes with costs. We are prepared for these costs: martyrdom for the sake of Palestine, for the sake of Allah Almighty, and the dignity of this nation."
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 31, 2024
Martyr Ismail #Haniyeh #Gaza… pic.twitter.com/OyZAwKLQr5
The Financial Times reported that the senior diplomatic officials indicated that the discussions aimed to persuade Tehran to either refrain from responding or to undertake only symbolic actions
“Everyone since last night is putting pressure on Tehran to not respond and to contain this,” said one Western diplomat involved in the discussions cited by the FT.
“Mora used his interactions with officials of the incoming Iranian administration in Tehran to convey the EU’s position on all issues of concern related to Iran in line with our policy of critical engagement,” said EU foreign policy spokesperson Peter Stano.
In parallel, the Biden administration, on Wednesday, reportedly held urgent consultations with Tel Aviv as well as other allies and partners with influence over Iran in an attempt to de-escalate after "Israel" escalated the situation.
Haniyeh assassination on Gaza ceasefire talks
In turn, influential US Congress leaders have voiced concerns about the impact of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh's assassination on Palestine's Gaza Strip ceasefire negotiations, as reported by Politico.
According to Politico, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Jack Reed, suggested that the assassination was a deliberate act by Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to derail the negotiation process, cautioning that it "signals an escalation in tensions."
Blinken says US not involved in Haniyeh's assassination
Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared Wednesday that Washington was "not aware of or involved in" leader Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Political Bureau of Hamas' killing.
Hamas confirmed the martyrdom of the Hamas leader, noting that the head of the political bureau was killed in a "treacherous Zionist airstrike on his residence in Tehran."
Iran's IRGC later said, "We are studying the dimensions of the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas' political bureau, and will announce the results of the investigation later."
"It's very hard to speculate, and I've learned over many years never to speculate on the impact one event may have on something else," Blinken added.
He was replying to queries from Singaporean broadcaster CNA on how Haniyeh's killing would affect Israel's war on Gaza. Blinken emphasized the urgency of a ceasefire in the strip as the war rages for 10 months.
According to Iranian Mehr News, Haniyeh was targeted at around 2 am Tehran time while "stationed in one of the residences for war veterans in the north of Tehran," detailing that he was martyred after "a projectile hit his place of residence."
An Iranian source revealed to Al Mayadeen that the assassination of Hamas' political bureau head Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran "was carried out by a missile launched from one country to another, not from within Iran."
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani confirmed that the relevant Iranian authorities are conducting "the necessary investigations to determine the dimensions and details of this incident."
He said, "There is no doubt that the pure blood of this resistance fighter, who dedicated his life to resistance and honorable struggle against the usurping Zionist entity, and in the pursuit of liberating holy al-Quds and the Palestinian people, will not be in vain."
Read more: Who is Fouad Shokor, and why did 'Israel' target him?
