Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei met senior Hamas leaders in Tehran on Saturday, state media reported, a significant development following the recent announcement on the Gaza Strip by U.S. President Donald Trump.
However, against a very tense backdrop, Iranian television framed the meeting as a routine engagement: the Hamas leaders, it said, were in the capital to congratulate Khamenei on the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
During the meeting, Khamenei hailed Hamas, saying, “You defeated the Zionist regime [Israel], which was, in fact, America’s defeat. You did not allow them to achieve any of their goals.” This statement underlines the ongoing tensions between Iran and the U.S., especially with regard to their respective positions on Israel.
The Hamas delegation included acting leader Khalil al-Hayya, Mohammad Darwish, head of Hamas’ leadership council, and Nizar Awadallah. They informed Khamenei about the latest situation in Gaza and the West Bank, especially underlining “the victories and successes that were achieved.” Al-Hayya left proud from their meeting, underscoring the solidarity between Hamas and Iran.
Hamas is considered part of what Iran describes as the ‘Axis of Resistance,’ a network of Iran-backed groups in West Asia hostile to Israel. Iran and Hamas have a common goal: the abolition of the State of Israel.
Khamenei also rejected U.S. threats against Tehran, saying they “have no effect on the mindset of our nation.” This too highlights the resilience of Iran in the face of any foreign aggression.
The meeting came just days after Trump announced that the U.S. will retain Gaza after a future conflict and rebuild the Strip, while possibly relocating the Palestinians to neighboring countries such as Egypt or Jordan. Meanwhile, Trump has reinstated a policy of ‘maximum pressure’ against Iran, while still leaving the door open to negotiations for a new nuclear deal.
