Wait for Iran's retaliation against Israel “could be long”, Revolutionary Guards spokesperson says

PHOTO CAPTION: Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards participate in a military parade to commemorate the anniversary of the start of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, in Tehran. (Reuters)

DUBAI (Reuters) -There could be a long wait for Iranian retaliation against Israel, Iran's Revolutionary Guards spokesperson Alimohammad Naini said on Tuesday.

The Middle East has been bracing for Iran's avowed retaliation over the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied that it was behind the killing.

"Time is in our favour and the waiting period for this response could be long," Naini said, referring to potential retaliation against Israel.

He said "the enemy" should wait for a calculated and accurate response.

Iranian leaders were weighing the circumstances and the Islamic Republic's response might not be a repeat of previous operations, he added, according to Iranian state media.

Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out the strike that killed Haniyeh hours after he attended the inauguration of Iran's new president Masoud Pezeshkian.

The United States has asked allies that have ties with Iran to persuade it to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in the region to push for progress towards a Gaza ceasefire.

Naini said that Tehran supported any move that led to an end to the war in Gaza and helped its people, but added: "We do not consider the U.S. actions sincere. We consider the U.S. to be a party to the (Gaza) war."

(Reporting by Elwely Elwelly; editing by Mark Heinrich and Ros Russell)