Hamas Leadership Meets with Iranian Counterparts to Praise UN Security Council Resolution
In a highly publicized engagement, Hamas leadership met with Iranian counterparts to promote and praise the United Nations Security Council resolution urging a cease-fire. Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas, held a press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, where they praised the U.N. resolution for dealing a heavy blow to Israel’s political and military goals.
“We are going through a historical stage and a fateful turning point in the context of the historical conflict with the Zionist entity,” Haniyeh stated, referring to the recent attack as the Al-Aqsa Flood. Haniyeh also met with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to discuss developments related to the ongoing war on Gaza and the Palestinian issue.
The U.S. decision to abstain from voting on the Security Council resolution allowed the motion to pass, leading to Israeli officials canceling a high-level delegation to Washington, D.C. in response. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed disappointment in the abstention, viewing it as damaging to Israel’s position and efforts to combat Hamas.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman criticized the U.N. resolution, stating that it does not condemn Hamas nor condition a cease-fire on the release of hostages, giving Hamas a diplomatic victory. Iranian outlets hailed the resolution as a triumph for Hamas, with the Iranian Foreign Ministry claiming it showed that eliminating Hamas is an unachievable goal.
Iran has been a strong supporter of Hamas since its foundation, with some labeling Hamas as a proxy force for Iran. While initial reports suggested Iran had trained Hamas fighters for a recent attack, further evidence found little support for this claim, and Iran distanced itself from Hamas during the conflict.
Overall, the meeting between Hamas and Iranian leadership highlights the complex dynamics at play in the ongoing conflict in the region.
