Iran Promises Hamas Support In The Fight Against Israel

(dpa/NAN) Iran has promised the Palestinian Hamas movement its
support in the fight against Israel in the Gaza conflict.

In a telephone conversation with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh,
the commander of the al-Quds Brigade of the Iranian Revolutionary
Guards, General Esmail Qa’ani, assured Hamas of his full support on
Saturday, Iranian state media reported.

For his part, Haniyeh thanked Iran for its support and said,
according to al-Alam news channel, that the fight against Israel
was not just Hamas’ but of the entire Islamic world.

The Islamist Hamas is classified as a terrorist organisation by
the European Union, among others, and has control of the Gaza
Strip.

Militant Palestinians have been firing rockets at Israel from
there for days.

The Israeli army has been reacting with airstrikes on Hamas
targets in Gaza.

Earlier, the Iranian foreign minister had cancelled at short
notice a visit to Austria planned for Saturday after the government
in Vienna hoisted the Israeli flag on its buildings.

The main topic of the meeting would have been the negotiations
under way in Vienna to renew the 2015 nuclear agreement with
Iran.

Iran considers Israel its arch-enemy and supports anti-Israeli
resistance groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza and
the Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon.

The entire Iranian leadership had this week “strongly condemned
Israel’s brutal and cruel crimes” against the Palestinians.

Nevertheless, Iran is keeping a low profile in the latest
conflict.

One reason, according to observers, is the nuclear negotiations,
which Tehran does not want to jeopardise.

The main issue there is the lifting of U.S. sanctions, which
have plunged Iran into an economic crisis over the past two
years.

(dpa/NAN) Iran has promised the Palestinian Hamas movement its
support in the fight against Israel in the Gaza conflict.

In a telephone conversation with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh,
the commander of the al-Quds Brigade of the Iranian Revolutionary
Guards, General Esmail Qa’ani, assured Hamas of his full support on
Saturday, Iranian state media reported.

For his part, Haniyeh thanked Iran for its support and said,
according to al-Alam news channel, that the fight against Israel
was not just Hamas’ but of the entire Islamic world.

The Islamist Hamas is classified as a terrorist organisation by
the European Union, among others, and has control of the Gaza
Strip.

Militant Palestinians have been firing rockets at Israel from
there for days.

The Israeli army has been reacting with airstrikes on Hamas
targets in Gaza.

Earlier, the Iranian foreign minister had cancelled at short
notice a visit to Austria planned for Saturday after the government
in Vienna hoisted the Israeli flag on its buildings.

The main topic of the meeting would have been the negotiations
under way in Vienna to renew the 2015 nuclear agreement with
Iran.

Iran considers Israel its arch-enemy and supports anti-Israeli
resistance groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza and
the Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon.

The entire Iranian leadership had this week “strongly condemned
Israel’s brutal and cruel crimes” against the Palestinians.

Nevertheless, Iran is keeping a low profile in the latest
conflict.

One reason, according to observers, is the nuclear negotiations,
which Tehran does not want to jeopardise.

The main issue there is the lifting of U.S. sanctions, which
have plunged Iran into an economic crisis over the past two
years.