Iran says it does not want regional escalation but must ‘punish’ Israel

Iran signaled it wants to avoid all-out war with Israel, even as it threatened to retaliate for last week’s assassination of a leading Hamas figure in its capital.

“Reinforcing stability and security in the region will be achieved by punishing the aggressor and creating deterrence against Israel and its adventurism,” a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry told reporters on Monday in Tehran.

 Speaking to reporters at a weekly press conference on Monday, Nasser Kanaani said Iran has the “unquestionable right” to protect its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Highlighting the necessary political and legal actions taken by Iran following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the spokesman stressed that nobody is allowed to cast doubt on Iran’s legitimate right to retaliate and create deterrence.

“We believe that Iran is entitled to punish the aggressor within the framework of international law… Iran will definitely and decisively take serious and deterrent measures by exercising its inherent right on the basis of international principles to ensure its security,” he underlined.