Germany has urged for restraint to avoid worsening the situation in the Middle East after the assassination of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
A Foreign Office spokesperson emphasized in Germany the importance of avoiding a cycle of retaliatory actions, stating, “The logic of mutual retaliatory strikes is a mistake.”
The spokesperson also stressed the necessity of maintaining calm and working towards de-escalation, including preserving opportunities for a hostage agreement and a ceasefire in Gaza.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is actively coordinating with EU partners and Middle Eastern representatives to de-escalate tensions, with diplomacy operating at full capacity.
Deputy government spokesperson Wolfgang Büchner highlighted the extreme danger of the current regional situation and the unanimous disinterest in further escalation, noting that Germany and its partners are fully engaged diplomatically to prevent further conflicts.
Hamas has reported the assassination of its political bureau chief, Ismail Haniyeh, in Iran.
Sources within Hamas confirmed that Haniyeh was martyred as a result of an attack on his residence in Tehran.
The Iranian Tasnim News Agency reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the news of Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination in Tehran
The head of the movement, who was killed in a treacherous Zionist airstrike on his residence in Tehran after attending the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian president.
“We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. It is indeed a jihad, victory or martyrdom.”
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard reported in a statement that Haniya and one of his security team members were killed in Tehran following the targeting of their residence.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard said, “We are studying the dimensions of Haniya’s martyrdom in Tehran and will announce the results of the investigation later.”