IRGC denies reports of recruiting agents in Iran to kill Haniyeh

(Patria) - The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has denied reports that Iranian intelligence officers were recruited to organize the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of the Palestinian movement Hamas in Tehran, an Iranian lawmaker said, TASS reported.

Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the national security and foreign policy committee of the Iranian parliament, presented another report on the investigation into Haniyeh's death. He said that the deputy commander of the Al Quds forces appeared at a closed meeting of the committee to deny accusations of involvement of Iranian intelligence officers in Haniyeh's assassination.

The Daily Telegraph reported on August 3, citing its sources, that the Israeli intelligence service Mossad had recruited officers of Iranian security agencies to plant explosive devices in the guesthouse where Haniyeh was staying. The New York Times reported that Haniyeh could have died in the explosion of a bomb planted in his residence two months ago.

The deputy commander of Al Quds emphasized that Haniyeh's assassination was not the result of agents' activities. Hamas reported Haniyeh's death on July 31 in an Israeli attack on his residence in Tehran, where he was attending the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Al Hadath TV channel reported that Haniyeh was killed in a direct missile strike.