Iran denies its role in Hamas' attack on Israel

Iran on Monday rejected as unfounded allegations it had a role in the massive assault on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas.

"The accusations linked to an Iranian role... are based on political reasons," foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told reporters.

He said Iran does not intervene "in the decision-making of other countries, including Palestine".

Palestinian militants from the militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza strip, penetrated Israel at dawn on Saturday under the cover of a massive rocket barrage.

More than 1,100 people have been killed in the conflict so far, with Israel reporting over 700 dead and the Palestinians death toll at 430.

The Palestinians had "the necessary capacity and will to defend their nation and recover their rights" without any help from Tehran, Kanani said.

"Talking about an Iranian role aims at turning public opinion (away from the facts) and at justifying the potential future actions" of Israel, the spokesman added.

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Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations also denied allegations the Islamic republic had any role in the Hamas attack, in a statement issued overnight.

It came after the Wall Street Journal reported that "Iranian security officials helped plan Hamas's Saturday surprise attack on Israel and gave the green light for the assault at a meeting in Beirut last Monday", citing senior members of Hamas and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.