Iran’s UN mission hints at holding off on retaliation amid Gaza truce talks
Asked whether progress in ceasefire talks means Iran will continue to hold off on any retaliatory attack against Israel, a representative from Iran’s mission to the UN in New York responded, “We hope so”, the Reuters news agency reports.
The region has braced for a strong response following Israel’s assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran’s capital Tehran in late July.
A retaliation has yet to materialise and with a deal between Israel and Hamas appearing to be moving closer, US officials have said that an Iranian strike could derail the talks.
A senior White House official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said the US is sending a message to Iran: “Do not do such a thing. Don’t. We mean it. The consequences for such a thing would be cataclysmic”.
Israeli officials say progress made in ceasefire talks: Report
Israel’s Walla news site is quoting senior Israeli officials who support US claims that two days of talks in Doha have made significant progress towards reaching a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza.
During the talks, Israeli negotiators were able to narrow the gaps on remaining points of contention with mediators, according to the Israeli officials cited by Walla.
Unlike in previous rounds of talks, Israeli negotiators were given serious room to manoeuvre by Prime Minister Netanyahu, added the Israeli news outlet, quoting an unnamed US official.
But, despite the reported progress, it remains to be seen if the talks, continuing next week, will ultimately result in a deal.
Next week “may end in a hostage deal and a ceasefire in Gaza, but alternatively, it could also end in the collapse of talks and regional escalation with Iran and Hezbollah”, reported the news site.
As we’ve reported, Hamas, which is not directly participating in the Doha talks, has blamed Israel for trying to add new terms to a previously agreed-upon ceasefire framework and reiterated its stance that a deal must bring an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
