France tells nationals visiting Iran to leave ‘as soon as possible’

France on Friday urged its nationals visiting Iran to leave immediately, after Tehran accused Israel of killing a leader of Palestinian militant group Hamas on its soil, sparking regional tensions.

“Due to the increased risk of a military escalation in the region, visiting French nationals still in Iran are invited to leave as soon as possible,” the foreign ministry said.

The killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in a pre-dawn attack on Wednesday in Tehran has deepened fears of a regional war.

ALSO READ: Crowds at funeral for Haniyeh: ‘Death to Israel, death to America’

Tehran, as well as the Iran-backed Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah movements, have blamed Israel, which has not commented.

It has however claimed responsibility for the killing just hours earlier of senior Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

ALSO READ: World reactions to killing of Hamas leader Haniyeh

Hundreds of people gathered at a mosque in Qatar on Friday to bid farewell to the slain leader.

Haniyeh’s killing comes almost 10 months into an Israeli military offensive that has ravaged the Gaza Strip, sparked by an unprecedented Hamas attack on southern Israel.

© Agence France-Presse