Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has met Hamas acting leader Khalil al-Hayya on Saturday, reports Reuters with reference to Iranian state media.
The meeting took place in Iran’s capital Tehran. In addition to Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas leaders Mohammad Darwish and Nizar Awadallah were also in place. According to Reuters, they must have presented a report on the situation in Gaza and on the West Bank for the Iranian leader, and talked about what “profits and successes have been achieved”.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in turn, has said that Hamas has defeated the Israeli regime – and by extension the United States.
“You did not let them meet one of their goals,” he said during the meeting according to Reuters.
“Consulting support”
According to the terrorist expert Magnus Ranstorp, the meeting between the Hamas leaders and Iran is expected.
– Iran has always been in the backwater and supported Hamas, both with money and weapons. There is intensive coordination in between. They consult about strategic raids, support and information, he says.
Hamas and Israel are currently in the middle of the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza. Prior to the second phase, negotiations on Hama’s role in Gaza are expected, something that Ranstorp calls a “critical moment” for the movement.
– Hamas wants to be part of the board in the future, but Israel is very clear that Hamas will be disarmed. They want Hamas leaders to go away from Gaza, he says.
Want to parry Israel and USA
The fact that high -ranking Hamas leaders are choosing to talk to Iran right now is also about preparing to parry pressure from Israel and US President Donald Trump, says Ranstorp.
– It’s about parrying them and their attempts to go harder to Hamas in the future. Then they need to consult and get support from their sponsor, he says, emphasizing that Hamas also had a dialogue with both Russia and China.
Hamas and Iran have far -reaching relationships with each other, and that for conversations they are in themselves nothing new.
– But that they show up like this and go out with it is an important signal that Iran is behind it, it is important for the movement, says Ranstorp.