New Delhi, Dec 25: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari disclosed that he had a brief encounter with Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, only hours before Haniyeh was assassinated inside a heavily guarded Iranian military compound.

The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways recalled the encounter while speaking at a book launch event. Shedding light on the encounter, Gadkari said that he had travelled to Iran in July 2024 on the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, representing India at the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s newly elected president, Masoud Pezeshkian.

In the hours before the official swearing-in, a grand reception unfolded at a five-star hotel in Tehran. The venue was filled with senior leaders and dignitaries from across the world. Among them was Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, whose presence stood out even though he did not hold the formal status of a head of state.

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“All the heads of various nations were present, but one person who wasn't a head of state was Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. I met him. I saw him heading to the swearing-in ceremony along with the president and the chief justice,” recalled Gadkari.

The calm of the night gave way to sudden urgency in the hours following the ceremony. Gadkari recounted how, after returning to his hotel around 4 am, he was abruptly roused from sleep. Standing at his door was the Iranian ambassador to India, delivering an unexpected message with a sense of gravity — he had to leave at once. What had begun as a routine diplomatic visit now carried the weight of unfolding drama, with events moving swiftly and without warning.

“When I asked about the reason, I was told that the Hamas chief had been assassinated. I was shocked. I asked how it happened, and the answer was ‘I don't know yet’,” he said.

Iranian authorities later confirmed that Haniyeh was assassinated around 1:15 am on July 31, 2024, while staying in a facility under the supervision of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). His bodyguard also died in the attack.

Gadkari said while the exact method of the attack remains unclear. “Some people say he was killed because of using his mobile phone. Some say it happened in some other way,” the Union Minister told the audience.  The IRGC has officially stated that the building where Haniyeh was staying was struck by a short-range missile.

Compiled by: Aditi Majhi