Hamas insists ties with Iran strong, despite regional polarization
Iran continues to provide financial and military support for Hamas amid a positive atmosphere that promises stronger ties and efforts to defuse the sectarian tension while bilateral meetings between the two are still being held outside Tehran, according to the movement’s representative in Iran.
Hamas’ representative in Iran, Khaled al-Qaddumi, tells Al-Monitor that progress has recently been made toward further developing relations between his movement and Tehran, as the latter continues to provide financial and military support to Hamas. However, he denied that there have been demands by any Arab countries for Hamas to cut ties with Iran, and stressed that no mediation efforts have been attempted by Iran to reconcile Hamas with the Syrian regime.
In a phone interview from Tehran, Qaddumi said that for the past few years he has been involved in Hamas’ Islamic and international relations, including dealing with some Western and southwestern Asian countries he did not name, taking part in Hamas’ delegations to Asian, African and European countries.
Qaddumi, who has been the head of Hamas’ office in Tehran since 2011, said, “Hamas’ internal elections are expected to have a positive result on the party’s relations with Iran,” adding that meetings are regularly held between the two outside Iran, with Hamas maintaining contact with many Iranian official bodies such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Foreign Ministry and the office of the supreme leader.
The text of the interview follows:
