US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held telephone conversations with his British and French counterparts on Saturday to address the escalating tensions in the Middle East and prevent further conflict.
Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasised the urgent need to “de-escalate rising tensions in the Middle East and prevent the conflict from spreading,” stated State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
Both officials underlined the importance of finalising a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap deal “as soon as possible.”
In a separate call, Blinken and French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne discussed achieving a Gaza ceasefire and highlighted the necessity of preventing further escalation in the Middle East, particularly in light of threats from Iran.
These discussions come amid heightened tensions in the region following Iran’s vow of severe punishment for Israel in response to the assassination of Hamas’ political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
The assassination, described by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as “designed and executed” by Israel with US support, involved the use of a short-range projectile.
In response to the rising tensions, the US announced on Friday the deployment of additional fighter jets and navy warships to the Middle East.
Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated early Wednesday at his residence in Tehran, in an attack that also claimed the life of his bodyguard. Haniyeh had been in Tehran to attend the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian.
His funeral, led by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, took place on Thursday, followed by a massive procession. Haniyeh was laid to rest on Friday in Doha, Qatar.