Pezeshkian recalls Haniyeh assassination, hails Iranians as 'real heroes'

Pezeshkian recalls Haniyeh assassination, hails Iranians as 'real heroes' Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian marked two years in office by recalling the killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh and praising the Iranian people's resilience through “relentless hostility”. In a statement carried by IRNA, Pezeshkian said his presidency began under the shadow of tragedy, noting that "the beginning of my administration coincided with the assassination of our dear guest by the Zionist regime." Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran on 31 July 2024, hours after attending Pezeshkian's inauguration, where delegations from more than 70 countries were present. Pezeshkian's presidency has since been marked by what he called "wars, pressure, and relentless hostility" against Iran, including a foreign-backed coup attempt and two US-Israeli wars. "Throughout all these difficult days, the real heroes were the people," he said, adding that Iranians "will shape the future of Iran."