Thousands Gather at Imam Reza Shrine to Condemn Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Pilgrims and citizens gathered at the Imam Reza (AS) shrine in Mashhad, northeast Iran, to denounce the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh by the Israeli regime.

Thousands of people chanted slogans such as “Down with the US” and “Down with Israel” to protest the killing of Haniyeh, the Hamas Political Bureau chief, in his Tehran residence on July 31.

“This cruel act indicates the pathetic nature of the enemy and signals its inability to fight with the Palestinians’ resistance,” said Mostafa Rostami, head of the Leader’s Office in Iran’s universities.

He pointed to the miscalculation of the Israeli regime in fighting Hamas, stating, “The regime has not achieved any of its stated goals after several months while having suffered unprecedented defeats in its political history.”

Rostami further asserted that the Iranian nation would not let their guest’s blood be shed in vain and expects the government to punish the perpetrators severely.

“The regime in Tel Aviv committed this savagery with the US’s support. Iranian people will not forget this crime, and our commanders and warriors are ready to tactfully respond to this Israeli brutality,” added Rostami.

The Committee of Iran’s holy shrines’ representatives also released a statement condemning Haniyeh's assassination.

“Herewith, we express our heartfelt condolences to all freedom-seekers, especially the oppressed people of Palestine, the resistance front, and the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei, for the martyrdom of the late head of the Hamas Political Bureau at the hands of the bloodthirsty regime of Israel,” the statement read.

The committee emphasized that Haniyeh's blood would strengthen the bond between the Iranian people, government, and the Palestinian resistance front.

“It will undoubtedly hasten the elimination of the Israeli cancerous tumor, which has become a universal demand with the recent international anti-Israel protests,” continued the statement.

“The crimes in Tehran, south of Beirut, Iraq, and the terrorist attack in Pakistan over the past 48 hours point to a bigger perpetrator than the Israeli regime; that is, the Great Satan, the US.”

“The Committee of Iran’s holy shrines’ representatives strongly supports any response against these crimes, which will benefit the Islamic Ummah.”

The committee includes representatives from the Imam Reza shrine, Hazrat Masoumeh shrine, Shah Cheragh shrine, Hazrat Abdolazim shrine, Jamkaran Mosque, and others.