Iran stresses its right to self-defense

Teheran mounts pressure on Western powers as US weapons raise concerns

Iran has stressed its right to self-defense in possibly retaliating against Israel and urged Western powers to pressure Tel Aviv into a cease-fire in Gaza instead of dictating to Teheran what it should do.

Iran has accused Israel of the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Teheran on July 31, which has escalated tensions in the Middle East. Israel has yet to publicly confirm carrying out the attack.

Nasser Kanaani, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, criticized on Tuesday the joint statement by France, Germany, and the United Kingdom on the contentious Middle East issue, accusing the Western countries of ignoring Israel's crimes against the Palestinians while dictating to Iran what response measures it should or should not take following the assassination of Haniyeh.