Iran has rejected accusations that it helped Hamas plan and execute a massive attack on Israel that left more than 1,100 people dead and sparked a military response from the US.
However, Iran’s mission to the United Nations issued a statement on Sunday denying any involvement in the attack. “We emphatically stand in unflinching support of Palestine; however, we are not involved in Palestine’s response, as it is taken solely by Palestine itself,” the statement said. “The resolute measures taken by Palestine are in self-defense against the Israeli regime’s brutal aggression.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said that American officials had not seen any evidence that Iran was behind the attack. He said that the US was working with its allies to de-escalate the situation and prevent further violence.
The attack has shattered hopes for a diplomatic solution to the nuclear standoff between Iran and the US, which had been engaged in indirect talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. The deal had imposed limits on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, but former President Donald Trump withdrew from it in 2018 and reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran. President Joe Biden had expressed his willingness to rejoin the deal if Iran returned to compliance.
The attack has also raised questions about Israel’s intelligence capabilities, which failed to anticipate or prevent such a large-scale and coordinated strike.