GAZA CITY, Gaza — The relationship between the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Islamic Republic of Iran has gone from an impasse — when Iran was supporting Islamist movements in the Arab region during the past two decades — to Iran giving financial and logistical support for the PFLP’s political and military wings. The warming of ties has come as a result of Hamas moving away from Iran due to differing positions on the Syrian crisis.
High-level PFLP sources at home and abroad revealed to Al-Monitor that Iran has resumed its financial and military support for the group in recent months in order to strengthen its alliance with the “Palestinian resistance forces” and not limit itself to only supporting Islamist movements such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Al-Monitor that several meetings were held between the PFLP leadership abroad and Iranian officials in Beirut, Damascus and Tehran under the auspices of Lebanese Hezbollah. Those meetings resulted in reviving direct support to the PFLP.
“Following the resumption of Iranian support, there will soon be a dramatic increase in the strength of the PFLP’s military wing, the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, after the internal reorganization of the group is completed,” the sources said.
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