Hamas delegation meets with Iranian officials in Tehran

TEHRAN

A senior delegation from Palestine’s Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Tuesday held talks with advisor of Iran’s supreme leader and the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, according to Iranian local media reports.

During a meeting with Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas deputy leader, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council President Ali Shamkhani described the U.S. Mideast compromise plan dubbed the Deal of the Century as “a failed plan” ruling out that it can come true, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Shamkhani also referred to some Arab states, which he did not name, saying they have tried to divide the Palestinian resistance movement as well as Palestine’s main supporters.

"But it turned out that their rulers are in contact with the Zionist enemy, and are receiving the Israeli military advisors for killing Muslims," he added.

For his part, Iran’s advisor to the Supreme Leader in International Affairs, Ali Akbar Velayati, said the ''Deal of the Century” has not been formed yet, expecting its failure.

“Your last day’s talks with the Supreme Leader were very strategic and important, and a milestone in the relations between Iran and Palestine, and the relationship of the Republic Islamic of Iran with the Palestinian people is a deep-rooted, and deep-seated that is getting stronger every day," he was quoted by IRNA as telling the Hamas delegation in reference to Monday's talks with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“The delegation reiterated that Hamas will continue upholding the Palestinian rights and that the movement refuses to make concessions on any right, regardless of the pressure placed on the Palestinian resistance movement,” said Hamas in a statement on the visit Tuesday.

“Both sides highlighted that the US and Israeli demeanor posed a threat to the Palestinian cause in particular, and the region in general,” Hamas' statement read.

“During the meeting, both sides voiced their rejection to the US aggression in the region, especially the US sanctions on Iran and its harassment of the Islamic Republic,“ Hamas added.

The Hamas delegation arrived in Tehran earlier Saturday.

Ties between Hamas and Tehran have witnessed a kind of apathy, following the eruption of the conflict in Syria in 2011. While Tehran has chosen to support the Bashar al-Assad regime, Hamas decided to support the uprising against it.

In 2017, however, Hamas officials said relations with Iran resumed as they were before.