Iran Does Not Want Regional Tensions to Escalate, But Must Still Punish Israel

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Hadhi/PHOTO via Wikimedia Commons/Mohammadreza Abbasi

JAKARTA - Iran does not want to increase regional tensions but insists it needs to punish Israel to prevent further instability,

"Iran seeks to establish stability in the region, but this can only be achieved by punishing the aggressor and creating a deterrent against the adventurism of the Zionist regime (Israel)," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani was quoted as saying by Reuters on Monday, August 5.

Kanaani called on the United States to stop supporting Israel, saying the international community had failed in its duty to maintain stability in the region and should support punishment against the aggressor.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps supreme commander Hossein Salami on Monday reiterated the elite group's threat that Israel will be punished in due time.

Tehran and Iran-aligned groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah have accused Israel of killing Haniyeh on July 31.