TEHRAN -- Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh has lauded Iran as an important pillar of the resistance front, saying it is the crucial source of support for Palestinian groups.
Our relations with Iran are of strategic significance because Iran is one of the important pillars of the resistance front,” Haniyeh said in an interview with Arabic-language al-Aqsa TV channel Saturday night.
“It is no secret that Iran provides political, material, military and technological support to the Palestinian resistance bloc,” he added.
Haniyeh, on the other hand, slammed Saudi Arabia over its policies towards the resistance, including its imprisonment of Hamas members in the kingdom.
“The verdicts handed down by Saudi Arabia against detained Palestinians are shocking, especially as the only charge against them is aiding Palestinian people,” the Hamas leader said.
Back in early August, a court in Saudi Arabia delivered verdicts against 69 Palestinians and Jordanians, handing jail terms of up to 22 years to some.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad resistance movements vehemently condemned the lengthy prison terms, noting that the verdicts were part of Riyadh’s efforts to curry favor with Israel.
On Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian condemned the British government’s decision to designate Hamas as a terror organization.
“The rights of the Palestinian people cannot be violated by distorting realities,” he said, adding the sole solution to the Palestinian issue to hold a referendum with the participation of the original inhabitants of Palestine, namely Muslims, Jews and Christians.
The British government has announced that it intends to label Hamas “a terrorist organization,” joining the United States, Canada and the European Union in fully banning the Gaza-based Palestinian resistance group, which plays a significant role in defending Palestinian rights against Israel’s frequent acts of aggression.