President Biden expressed that if an agreement could be reached to end the Gaza war and ensure the release of Israeli hostages, he expects Iran not to retaliate against Israel for the assassination of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.
On Tuesday, when asked by reporters whether Iran might halt or delay retaliatory strikes if a ceasefire agreement is reached in Gaza, Biden replied, “That’s my expectation.”
When asked if a ceasefire agreement could currently be reached, Biden acknowledged that the situation is becoming “increasingly difficult,” but he emphasized, “I won’t give up.”
Prior to this, three Iranian officials told Reuters that Gaza must reach a ceasefire agreement, or Iran will retaliate directly against Israel.
Iran has promised to harshly retaliate over the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during his visit to Tehran at the end of last month, blaming Israel for the incident. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in the matter.
In anticipation of potential attacks, the US military has deployed warships, submarines, and fighter jets to the Middle East to assist Israel in defending against aggression.
A senior Iranian security official informed Reuters that if the Gaza ceasefire negotiations fail, or if Iran believes Israel is prolonging the talks, Iran will launch direct attacks together with allies like Hezbollah.
Two sources told Reuters that Iran is considering sending a representative to participate in ceasefire negotiations. However, they stated that this representative would not directly attend the meetings but engage in behind-the-scenes discussions during the negotiations to “maintain diplomatic channels with the United States.”
Meir Litvak, a senior researcher at the Alliance Center for Iranian Studies at Tel Aviv University, believes Iran will prioritize its own interests before helping Hamas and aims to avoid an all-out war.
Iranian analyst Saeed Laylaz stated that Iran had not been involved in Gaza talks before but is now poised to play a role in order to “prevent a full-scale war and consolidate its position in the region.”
The Biden administration has also intensified diplomatic efforts to try to prevent or limit Iran’s retaliatory actions. President Biden’s Middle East envoy Brett McGurk has traveled to Egypt and Qatar, while diplomatic envoy Amos Hochstein will visit Lebanon.
The United States, Egypt, and Qatar are set to hold ceasefire negotiations on Thursday and are actively pressuring Israel and Hamas to reach an agreement that would secure the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and end the 10-month conflict.
An insider from the Iranian regime informed the Financial Times that Iran deliberately keeps its retaliation plans vague as part of “psychological warfare activities to keep Israel’s military, security, and logistical capabilities on edge and prevent the residents of occupied territories from feeling safe.”
Meanwhile, the US State Department notified Congress on Tuesday of plans to sell $20 billion worth of weapons to Israel, including fighter jets, advanced air-to-air missiles, and tank ammunition. These sales involve longer-term contracts, and the items are expected to be delivered over several years.