Cartoon by Behnam Mohammadi

Inside story: The assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran

Amwaj: The Iranian capital was quiet at night after the July 30 inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian, which brought scores of foreign delegations to Tehran. But at 1:45 am local time, shocked residents in the affluent north of the city reported the sound of a loud explosion. Within hours, Iranian authorities confirmed that Ismail Haniyeh, the visiting leader of the Palestinian Hamas movement’s political bureau, had been assassinated. A regular visitor in recent years, Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the inauguration of Pezeshkian.

Details of the incident in the public realm remain scant. According to an initial statement released by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) at 6:10 am local time, Haniyeh’s "residence” was struck, resulting in the “martyrdom” of the Hamas leader along with “one of his bodyguards." The statement added that the cause and dimensions of the incident "are being investigated and the results will be announced."

Later, Fars News Agency, a media affiliate of the IRGC, claimed that Haniyeh was staying at a "special residence for [1980-88 Iran-Iraq] war veterans in northern Tehran." However, the claim was disputed by Tasnim News Agency, another IRGC affiliate, which said nothing of such a facility.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a high-ranking Iranian political source told Amwaj.media that Haniyeh and other high-profile foreign guests who attended Pezeshkian’s inauguration were actually staying at the Sa'adabad Complex. Located near Tajrish Square in the north of the capital, an attack inside the sizable complex would be particularly audacious as it is associated with the presidency. It would be further embarrassing to Iranian authorities as other visiting dignitaries would be in the vicinity.

In the immediate aftermath of the assassination, Iranian sources alleged, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) convened for an emergency meeting. Headed by the president and gathering the country’s civilian and military leadership, the assembly decides on national security and foreign policy matters. The SNSC session is said to have been held in the supreme leader's residence, with the attendance of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as well as the heads of the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of power.

A senior source who attended the emergency session told Amwaj.media that there are suspicions that Haniyeh's first security ring, namely his Palestinian bodyguards, may have had a hand in the targeted killing. According to the source, Tehran's preliminary assessment is that a small quadcopter was used to target the Hamas leader following a tip-off by Haniyeh's security team. Amwaj.media could not independently verify these claims, which may be geared to deflect blame on Iranian intelligence failures >>>