UNITED NATIONS, August 13. /TASS/. Iran does not and will not participate in any talks between the Palestinian Hamas movement and Israel on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages being held in the enclave, the Iranian Permanent Mission to the UN said.

Earlier, Reuters, citing sources, said that for the first time since the escalation in the embattled enclave, Iran was considering sending a representative to the ceasefire talks. According to the news agency, "the representative would not directly attend the meetings but would engage in behind-the-scenes discussions ‘to maintain a line of diplomatic communication’ with the United States while negotiations proceed."

Iran’s mission to the UN in New York told reporters that Tehran did not and would not participate in such negotiations.

Another round of escalation in the Middle East followed the violent death of Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and the elimination of Hezbollah top military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah held Israel responsible and asserted that the attacks will be met with retaliation. Israeli officials are not commenting on Haniyeh’s death, while claiming that the attack on Shukr was in response to the strike on the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Israel-controlled Golan Heights which killed 12 people. However, Hezbollah denied involvement in the attack.