Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked the supreme leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei restrained response by Iran to the assassination of the leader of "Hamas" Ismail Haniya in Tehran, which was allegedly carried out by Israel, and advised him against attacks on Israeli civilians. This is what two high-ranking Iranian sources told "Reuters".
According to the sources, the message was delivered on Monday, August 5, by Sergei Shoigu, who arrived in Iran for talks with the Iranian leadership, including President Massoud Pezeshkian. During the talks, Tehran pressed Moscow for the delivery of Su-35 fighter jets.
The state news agency RIA reported on Tuesday that Shoigu said he discussed the assassination of Haniya during his visit to Tehran.
The two sources familiar with the matter did not provide further details about the talks with Shoigu, who was defense minister before becoming secretary of Russia's Security Council in May.
The sources said Shoigu's visit was one of several ways Moscow used to convey to Iran the need for restraint, while at the same time condemning the killing of the leader of "Hamas" as "a very dangerous murder" in an attempt to prevent a war in the Middle East.
According to the sources, the Middle East was on the brink of a major war and those behind Hania's assassination were apparently trying to provoke such a conflict.
Ties between Russia and Iran have grown closer since the start of the war in Ukraine, with Moscow saying it is preparing to sign a wide-ranging cooperation agreement with Tehran.
We recall that Iran has stated that it does not seek to increase regional tensions, but will punish Israel to prevent further instability.
In Washington, a Biden administration official warned of the risks of a major regional conflict, stressing that the scale of the response by Iran and "Hezbollah" will be a key factor in determining the extent of potential conflict.
Despite efforts by Western and regional countries to persuade Iran to retaliate in a measured way or not at all, Tehran has said it will respond "sternly" of Ismail Hania's murder.
A Lebanese source close to "Hezbollah" has commented that "retaliatory strike is inevitable and diplomacy is no longer a viable option", specifying that Iran wants the strike to be severe but not lead to regional war. But this does not rule out the possibility of a war in Lebanon between the Iranian-backed group "Hezbollah" and Israel, the source emphasized.
A senior US official said Washington was doing everything it could "to dissuade all countries from going to a place of no return" and stressed that other countries in the region and Europe must do more to prevent conflict. A Qatari official said Doha is in constant talks with Iran to reduce tensions.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant warned on Monday that Israel must be prepared for anything, including quick action towards an offensive.
According to other sources, Israel's response to any attack by "Hezbollah" or Iran will probably depend more on the damage caused than the scale of the attack,
The Israeli authorities have not claimed responsibility for the killing of the leader of "Hamas" Ismail Hania. Iran supports "Hamas" and also "Hezbollah", with whom Israel has traded blows since "Hamas" attacked Israel on October 7 and ignited the conflict in Gaza.
The tension between Israel and "Hezbollah" has increased in the last few months, especially after the attack on Beirut, in which the top commander of "Hezbollah" Fuad Shukr. We remind you that earlier today "Hezbollah" said it fired missiles and drones at two military sites near Acre in northern Israel
We recall that after the Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus, in which several Iranian diplomats were killed, including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and when there were again fears of a larger conflict between the two countries, Russia again called on Iran and Israel for "restraint".