TEHERAN - The waiting time for Iran's retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh could be "long," Ali-Mohammad Naeini, spokesman for Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), said on Tuesday.
At a press conference in Teheran, Naeini explained that there is no rush to respond and that the timing of Iran's reaction might be extended. He suggested that Israelis would have to endure uncertainty while Iran plans its response.
He also mentioned that Iran's retaliation might not resemble previous operations and that different options are being considered.
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The IRGC spokesman claimed that Israel has not achieved its objectives with Haniyeh's assassination, asserting that the "resistance front has become stronger" rather than weaker.
He reassured that Iran's military leaders would carefully plan their response to Haniyeh's killing, aiming to impact Israel's strategy.
On Monday, IRGC Deputy Commander Ali Fadavi described Israel's action as a "great crime" and warned of a tougher response compared to Iran's previous retaliation in April, which followed an attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Fadavi stated that the response would come at the right time and place and that Iran would decide when and how to act.
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Haniyeh, who visited Iran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, was killed on July 31 along with his bodyguard when their residence in Teheran was attacked. Iran has blamed Israel for the attack and has promised a strong response.
Israel has not confirmed or denied its involvement in the attack.
German 'illegal centers'
Iran shut down two branches of "illegal centers affiliated with the German government" in Teheran on Tuesday due to "various illegal activities and widespread financial violations."
The closures followed a judicial order for the branches' "violation of Iranian law," the Mizan news agency of the Iranian judiciary reported, without disclosing the centers' names.
The report, however, published photos of Iranian security forces bringing down the signboard of the German Language Institute of Teheran.
According to the report, Iranian authorities have also received reports of violations by other centers affiliated with the German government, which are currently under investigation.
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The closures came after the German Interior Ministry's decision in July to ban the Islamic Center in Hamburg and its affiliated organizations across Germany, claiming that the center was "an Islamist extremist organization pursuing anti-constitutional objectives".
In response, Iran summoned German ambassador to Teheran and condemned the decision as a "hostile act contrary to the fundamental principles of human rights."
