TEHRAN — Iran on Monday rejected as unfounded allegations it had a role in the massive assault on Israel by the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas.
“The accusations linked to an Iranian role… are based on political reasons,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told reporters.
The Islamic Republic, he said, does not intervene “in the decision-making of other countries, including Palestine.”
Iran, which does not recognize Israel and has made support for the Palestinian cause a centerpiece of its foreign policy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, was one of the first countries to hail the Hamas operation.
The Palestinians had “the necessary capacity and will to defend their nation and recover their rights” without any help from Tehran, Kanani said.
“Talking about an Iranian role aims at turning public opinion (away from the facts) and at justifying the potential future actions” of the occupying entity, the spokesman added.
Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations also denied allegations the Islamic Republic had any role in the Hamas attack, in a statement issued overnight.
On Sunday, President Ebrahim Raisi said Iran supported the Palestinians’ right to self-defense and warned the Zionist regime must be held accountable for endangering the region.
Raisi — who has spoken with the leaders of Hamas and the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad group since the Hamas attack — also urged Muslim governments to “support the Palestinian nation.”
On Monday, the Zionist military said there was no evidence of Iran’s role.
“Iran is a major player but we can’t yet say if it was involved in the planning or training,” said military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.
U.S. officials also said the Biden administration has not found any evidence linking Iran directly to planning and executing the operation.
“In this specific instance, we hav e not yet seen evidence that Iran directed or was behind this particular attack,” Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has accused Tehran of being behind the operation, and said that “Iran should pay dearly for any escalation directed at Israel.”
Graham also said if Lebanon’s Hezbollah intervenes in the raging clashes, “Israel and the United States should go after the Iranian oil refineries and oil infrastructure - which is the lifeblood of the Iranian economy”.
The spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry said Monday the country will not hesitate to deliver a crushing response to enemies in case they make any foolish move against it.
Nasser Kanaani said accusations and threats against Tehran are meant to justify Washington’s and its Western allies’ support for Israeli misadventures.
He said the hostile claims against Iran and Hezbollah will not reduce the accountability of the UK and the U.S. for the 75-year-old-long crimes that Israel has been perpetrating against Palestinians and other nations in West Asia.
He warned of attempts by Israel’s supporters, chief among them the United States, to change the place of the oppressor and the oppressed through their propaganda war.
“They are turning a blind eye to the crimes of the occupying regime while leveling accusations against the innocent people of Palestine,” he said.
The spokesman touched on Iran’s position regarding the Palestinian cause, stressing that Al-Aqsa Mosque and the holy city of Al-Quds are of paramount importance to all Muslims around the world.
“A growing number of world countries, including Muslim states, are throwing their support behind the Palestinian nation and resistance front. The international community is also massively supporting the honorable resistance of the Palestinian nation,” he said.
The spokesman also urged the international community to exert pressure on Israel to resume electricity supply to the besieged Gaza Strip.
He said Tehran has called for an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to discuss regional developments.