Pentagon: The threat of an attack by the Islamic Republic on Israel remains; Mohammad Bagheri emphasizes the 'certain' nature of the 'revenge' for Haniyeh

Simultaneously with the visit of the Qatari Foreign Minister to Iran, which is said to focus on the ceasefire issue between Israel and Palestinian groups, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic stated that the response to the killing of Haniyeh is certain. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense assessed that the threat of an attack by the Iranian government and its proxy groups on Israel remains. On Monday, September 5, Mohammad Bagheri, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic, announced that the response to Israel regarding the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran is 'certain' and that the Islamic Republic will decide for itself on 'revenge.' He also mentioned that the groups allied with the Islamic Republic in the region, referred to by Iranian officials as the 'axis of resistance,' act separately, as seen in the attack by Hezbollah on Israel on Sunday. Bagheri's statements coincided with the visit of the Qatari Foreign Minister to Iran. On Monday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, met and discussed with Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic in Tehran. Hamidreza Dehghani, a former ambassador of the Islamic Republic in Qatar, described this visit as 'important' on the social media platform X, and some analysts have linked it to the issue of war between proxy groups supported by the Islamic Republic and Israel. The Qatari Foreign Minister is set to travel to Cairo after Tehran to host ceasefire negotiations between Israel and the Hamas militant group. Meanwhile, Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, stated during a press conference on Monday, referring to 'public statements by the leaders of the Islamic Republic,' that according to U.S. assessments, 'the threat of an attack' by the Iranian government on Israel still exists and 'we are fully prepared to protect our forces in addition to assisting Israel's defensive capabilities in the event of their attack.' Patrick Ryder also announced that Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, has ordered two naval strike groups to remain in the region to support Israel. Additionally, 26 days after the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's threats of retribution, Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic, claimed in a phone call with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani that the Iranian government's response to Haniyeh's killing will be 'certain, precise, and calculated.'