In light of the riots in Iran against the Islamic regime, deputy Hamas leader Salah al-Aruri on Saturday praised Iran for its steadfast support for the “Palestinian resistance”.
In an interview with Al-Quds TV, which is affiliated with the terror group, Aruri said that the political relationship between Hamas and Iran was influenced by developments in the Arab Spring revolutions, but the Iranian support for the resistance did not stop even when diplomatic ties were severed. This, he added, testifies to Iran's seriousness in the struggle against Israel.
Aruri stressed that the Iranian assistance is substantial for the continuation of the resistance against Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. He claimed that Hamas is interested in reconciliation with the Palestinian Authority (PA), but its intention was a reconciliation that did not contradict the basic principles and did not entail concessions to Israel, such as disarming the armed militias.
He accused the United States of being responsible for the failure of previous reconciliation initiatives with the PA, and called on the Fatah Central Committee to discuss the implications of the American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, to cancel the Oslo Accords and to end the security coordination with Israel.
Aruri several months ago declared that Hamas and Iran have agreed to set aside their past differences. He spoke in Tehran, where he led a high-ranking Hamas delegation.
"We have come (to Iran) to show that differences are now history. We have made a major agreement not to allow the differences leave negative impact on our bilateral ties in a bid to enable ourselves leave obstacles behind," Aruri said.
The disconnect between Iran and Hamas began when Hamas refused to support Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, a close ally of Iran's, in the uprising against him. An angry Iran then reportedly stopped supplying the terror group with weapons.
This past summer, however, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh thanked Iran for its "unlimited" support for the Al-Qassam Brigades and its contribution to the development of Hamas's military capabilities, an indication that the rift was over.