UPDATES WITH REACTIONS FROM INDONESIA AND AUSTRALIA, CHANGES HEADER, LEDE, NO CHANGES IN DECK
By Islamuddin Sajid and Aamir Latif
ISLAMABAD (AA) - Pakistan and Indonesia on Wednesday strongly condemned the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.
In a statement, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry extended condolences to his family and the people of Palestine.
"Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations including extrajudicial and extraterritorial killings irrespective of the motives," said the ministry.
"We are deeply shocked by the timing of this reckless act, coinciding with the inauguration of the President of Iran, an event attended by several foreign dignitaries, including the Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan," it said.
Islamabad said they view with serious concern the growing Israeli adventurism in the region and its latest acts that constitute a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region and that undermine efforts for peace.
Meanwhile, Indonesia also condemned the assassination, fearing it would exacerbate the ongoing conflict in the densely populated coastal city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
"It constitutes a provocative action that could escalate conflicts in the region and derail the ongoing negotiation," the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Separately, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said his country "definitely wants to ensure that we do not see an escalation" because the consequences would be "profound."
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe also strongly condemned the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
In a statement, he further stressed that he would never condone such actions, New Wire reported.
Early Wednesday, the Palestinian group Hamas announced that Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his residence in Tehran.
The Iranian state television confirmed Haniyeh's death, saying an investigation is underway and that the findings will be released soon.
Israel has yet to make an official statement regarding the airstrike on Haniyeh's residence.