Haniye Funeral in Iran... Vows of 'Retaliation' Against Israel

The funeral of Ismail Haniyeh, the top political leader of the Palestinian armed faction Hamas who was assassinated in Tehran, Iran, was held on the 1st (local time) in Tehran. The Iranian leadership attending the funeral unanimously pointed to Israel as the perpetrator of the assassination and vowed retaliation.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

According to Iran's state-run Press TV and others, the Iranian authorities solemnly held Haniyeh's funeral at Tehran University in the morning, and the memorial prayer was led by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As a vehicle decorated with white flowers, the Iranian flag, and the Palestinian flag carried the coffin to the funeral hall, Tehran citizens gathered on the streets to mourn Haniyeh's death. Many held Palestinian flags in their hands. Iran's state-run Press TV described the funeral as a 'state funeral.'

Iran and Hamas have declared retaliation against Israel. The previous day, Supreme Leader Khamenei ordered retaliation, saying, "They (Israel) have brought upon themselves severe punishment." Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Parliament (Majlis), warned in his funeral speech, "The Zionist regime (Israel) will pay a heavy price for the raid on Iranian territory." This is interpreted as a military retaliation message to Israel from the pro-Iran armed forces 'Axis of Resistance,' including Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah, and Yemen's Houthi rebels.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Hamas plans to transport Haniyeh's body to Doha, Qatar, for another funeral and burial on the 2nd after the two-day funeral proceedings in Tehran conclude. Haniyeh was assassinated in an attack presumed to be an airstrike at his residence in northern Tehran the day after attending the inauguration ceremony of President Masoud Pezeshkian at the Iranian Parliament building in Tehran on the 30th of last month. Consequently, concerns about escalation in the Middle East region have sharply increased.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.