Hamas leader to visit Iran: Official

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Saturday confirmed the visit, but said no exact date has been set.

The Iranian official also denied reports that relations between the Islamic Republic and Hamas have cooled.

“The relations between Hamas and the Islamic Republic of Iran have never been cut,” Fars news agency quoted Amir Abdollahian as saying.

Amir Abdollahian went on to say that Iran and other Islamic nations “will never leave the oppressed Palestinian people alone.”

“Resistance is a key for victory of the Palestinian people” against the Israeli regime, he said.

Iran and the resistance movement have strengthened ties, especially after a recent visit of a Hamas delegation to the Iranian capital, Tehran.

In December, a senior Hamas member said the Palestinian resistance movement seeks stronger ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“In order to confront the challenges and big threats facing Palestine, we seek assistance and consolidation of ties with Arab and Islamic countries, especially the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said Mahmoud al-Zahar, a co-founder of Hamas and a member of the Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip.
/SR