Imad Mugniyah
Photo: Reuters
Mugniyah's father, grandfather mourn
Photo: AP
Iranian head of parliament: Islamic nation will defend itself
'These acts of murder will not bring the Zionist regime neither peace nor stability,' Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel says in response to killing of senior Hizbullah leader Imad Mugniyah. 'For every shahid who is buried, there are dozens of others to take his place'
The Iranian parliament condemned the assassination of senior Hizbullah commander Imad Mugniyah on Thursday morning and threatened Israel with retaliation.
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"These acts of murder will not bring the Zionist regime neither peace nor stability," parliament head Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel said. "They (Zionists) have been carrying out acts of terror for the past 60 years, but have yet to achieve security. Israel's future will be worse than it presently is.
"For every shahid who is buried, there are dozens of others who will take his place," he added while offering the Islamic Republic's support for Hizbullah and the Palestinian terror groups.
Mugniyah, a terrorist mastermind on American and European Union most wanted lists, was killed in a blast in Damascus on Tuesday. Hizbullah said he was assassinated by Israeli agents.
'Despicable crime'
Haddad-Adel told parliament that "the Islamic nation will defend itself and Israel, the US and their allies must realize that as long as the occupation of the Palestinians continues they will not have security.
Referring to the positive responses to Mugniyah's killing in Israel and the US, the senior Iranian official said "this is the message the Americans bring to the world."
According to reports circulated in the Iranian media, during his speech Haddad-Adel also aid "death to Israel" and "death to America."
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki is expected to attend Mugniyah's funeral in Lebanon Thursday before heading to Syria to meet with President Bashar Assad and other top officials in Damascus.
On Wednesday the Islamic Republic News Agency quoted Iranian ambassador to Syria, Ahmad Moussavi, as saying that "the death of Mugniyah will lead to an earthquake in the Zionist regime."
He added that "this despicable crime will increase the Zionists' disasters and strengthen the courage of those who will hit the Zionist regime."
