GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Iranian officials on Feb. 5 received a high-level Palestinian Islamic Jihad delegation headed by Ramadan Shallah, the movement’s secretary-general. Accompanying him was Islamic Jihad’s deputy leader, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, whom the US Department of State announcement on Jan. 23 was being added to its list of “specially designated global terrorists.” It was the first visit by Islamic Jihad representatives to Iran since President Hassan Rouhani took office in 2013.

"While this trip can be classified as a routine visit, it is important given that it comes after Nakhalah was added to the terrorist list and after Rouhani took office," said Islamic Jihad spokesman Daoud Shihab. 

During a meeting with Al-Monitor at his office, Shihab noted that this is not the first time Iran has publicly expressed its support for Islamic Jihad and its leaders. He asserted that Iranian officials had at other meetings confirmed their rejection of the targeting of the Palestinian people and figures.

"The warm welcome that the delegation received expresses Iran's solidarity [with Islamic Jihad] and its rejection of US policy. It shows that [Tehran] still supports resistance factions," said Shihab. "This was a large delegation, headed by Ramadan, and it included his deputy and a number of members of the movement's political bureau, in addition to Islamic Jihad's representative in Iran. The visit comes at a time when some believe that Tehran's policy toward resistance movements is changing. But Iran is reiterating its support for the Palestinian cause, regardless of the developments in its relationship with the West. The Palestinian cause is one of Iran's objectives."