Hamas reveals details of meeting with Iranian officials

A delegation from the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement led by the head of its political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, met with the Secretary General of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, on Monday, Anadolu has reported. The agenda included political developments in Palestine and the Middle East.

During the meeting, explained Hamas, Haniyeh presented the Palestinian developments, the continuation of Israel’s blockade on Gaza and its five-day attack on Gaza last month. “Our people and their resistance are always ready to confront any aggression and thwart any occupation plan,” said the former Palestinian Authority prime minister. “The unity of the resistance factions and their joint decision-making is a strategic weapon to confront Palestine’s enemies.”

Haniyeh praised the recent Iran-Saudi Arabia rapprochement, which was announced in a joint statement from Beijing on 10 March. The agreement led to the restoration of diplomatic relations between Riyadh and Tehran, and the reopening of the embassies of the two countries, which have been closed since 2016.

READ: Hamas delegation arrives in Iran for talks

The senior Hamas official stressed the need to invest in the regional and international scene and the strengthening of regional relations. “Moreover, the escalation of resistance and the decline of the Israeli state and its preoccupation with its [domestic] crises are an indication of our approaching victory, which requires the Arab and Islamic nation to fulfil its duty towards Palestine and Jerusalem.”

According to the Hamas statement, Ahmadian added that, “The strategic way to liberate Palestine is resistance, and there is a need for unity among the resistance factions. Their victory is a strategic and historical shift for the cause, and of critical importance for the nation.”