White House officials said Tuesday that Iran might be reconsidering its plan for a major retaliation against Israel, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius reported.

The report claims that President Biden’s “intense” diplomatic efforts to “stave off a catastrophic war in the Middle East” may have influenced Iran to abandon its public assertions to punish Israel for the elimination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

According to the report, Iran may have been dissuaded due to the US urging Iran to show restraint and its threats of “serious consequences” to the stability of the new government of President Masoud Pezeshkian. However, the officials added, Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy in Lebanon “is still a wild card.”

Hezbollah has publicly vowed to take revenge for the elimination of Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr.

The report added that Iran may have also backed down due to its acceptance that Haniyeh was not killed by an Israeli missile, as it first thought, but by a bomb placed in his room. Iran has carried out similar targeted attacks in third countries.

“Iran understands clearly that the United States is unwavering in its defense of our interests, our partners and our people,” a senior administration official told Ignatius. “We have moved a significant amount of military assets to the region to underscore that principle.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)