Tehran, IRNA – Iran’s embassy in Rome has warned that the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran violates all principles of international law and is a serious threat to international peace and security.

In the statement a copy of which was provided to IRNA, the embassy said the cowardly assassination of Haniyeh while he was an official guest of the Islamic Republic is yet another clear sign of the law-breaking nature of the Zionist regime.

It said the deafening silence of the international community and the support of Western countries for Israel amid its genocidal war on Gaza prompted the criminals to continue their crimes and assassinate Haniyeh.

Such heinous actions are the last efforts of the Zionist regime to get rid of the consequences of genocide, occupation and apartheid policies, which have not and will not have any results other than dishonor and cowardice, it added.

“Condemning the terrorist act and taking decisive action against the obvious terrorist behavior of the Zionist regime is one of the points that the international community should put on its agenda as soon as possible,” the embassy asserted, adding that being silent against the illegal and aggressive behavior of this regime can put the world and the region in a tense situation that will impose heavy costs on all.

Ismail Haniyeh, the political bureau chief of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, and one of his bodyguards were assassinated in their residence in the Iranian capital early on Wednesday.

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