The president of the Iranian Parliament and head of Tehran's delegation in talks with the United States, Mohamed Baqer Qalifab, has made clear this Sunday his alignment with the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas by receiving one of its highest-ranking leaders in the Iranian capital, the head of the organization's political advisory body, Mohamed Darwish.
Darwish has led the Hamas delegation that traveled to Tehran to pay tribute to the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died on February 28 in an Israeli attack coinciding with the start of Iran's war, during the funeral ceremonies for the supreme leader taking place these days in the capital.
In a subsequent meeting, both officials have described the current Memorandum of Understanding, which sets the course for talks between Washington and Tehran, as "a triumph." "It is a great victory for the resistance front," Darwish stated, "and each of its clauses represents a victory for Iran and a defeat for the United States."
Qalifab also highlighted the role played by the deceased Khamenei in defending the Palestinian cause. "The thirst of our martyred imam represents the liberation of Al Quds," emphasized the Speaker of Parliament, alluding to the Arabic name for Jerusalem.
The Iranian leader also urged his interlocutor to convey to Gaza, a territory under Hamas rule, the same formula that Tehran is applying in its dealings with the United States: a mix of diplomatic negotiation and military deterrence capability.
"Diplomacy and negotiation must be able to untie the military knot and preserve and consolidate the achievements of the warriors, and this can be achieved when the country is prepared for defense alongside diplomacy," he pointed out.
To conclude, Qalifab reiterated Iran's full support for Hamas, "through missiles if necessary, through political pressure if needed," as reported by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.