Diplomatic efforts to prevent the spread of conflict in the Middle East

2024-08-01 16:48:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Diplomatic efforts to prevent the spread of conflict in the Middle East

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei leads tributes and prayers in front of the coffins of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and his bodyguard in Tehran on August 1, 2024/Office of Iran's Supreme Leader via AP

Large crowds of Iranians attended the funeral ceremony for the leader of the militant group Hamas in Tehran today. Tributes and prayers were led by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei before his body was flown to Qatar for burial.

Meanwhile, Britain's foreign secretary and defense secretary are staying in Lebanon to try to prevent the conflict from escalating, and US officials are making increased calls for a ceasefire amid Iran's warnings of a retaliatory attack on Israel and concerns that the Middle East is at risk of an open conflict.

The coffin of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was carried through the streets of the Iranian capital on Thursday, where thousands of Iranians paid tribute to the leader of the militant group Hamas who was killed a day earlier in Tehran, just hours after attending a ceremony inauguration of the new president of Iran.

After the tributes in Tehran, Haniyeh's body will be sent to Qatar, where he is expected to be buried on Friday. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led the religious ceremony, a day after vowing revenge against Israel.

Although Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility for the attack, suspicions hang over it. Israel has vowed to destroy the Iranian-backed militant group after the October 7 attack on Israeli settlements.

Iran vowed to retaliate against Israel, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Israel would respond strongly to any aggression.

"Challenging days await us. Since the attack in Beirut, we have received threats from all sides. We are prepared for any scenario and will remain united and determined in the face of any threat," he declared.

In an effort to prevent the escalation of the conflict, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Defense Secretary John Healey are making a surprise visit to Beirut, where they are meeting with Lebanese officials.

Foreign Secretary Lammy called on the parties to respect and implement international resolutions, while Defense Secretary Healey called for conflict resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, adding that "violence will have serious consequences for all."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is visiting Mongolia, appealed on Thursday to "all parties" to avoid escalating actions that could plunge the region into a wider conflict and called for a ceasefire.

"The path the region is on is a path that brings more conflict, more suffering and more uncertainty. It is vital that we end this cycle and that starts with a ceasefire... A ceasefire is in everyone's interest. It is in the interest of Israel, it is in the interest of the Palestinians. It is in the interest of the region," he said.

The killing of Haniyeh sparked protests in the West Bank and various countries in the Middle East and in Turkey.

Top Iranian officials, according to the Reuters news agency, have invited representatives of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Houthi group, Hezbollah and militant groups from Iraq, all designated terrorist groups by the US government, to meet in Tehran and discussed about a possible retaliatory attack against Israel./ VOA