Is Tehran signaling a change of approach? Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has announced that his country will support any decision made by the Arabs in the negotiations on the Gaza Strip, even if this means that the Hamas leadership will make independent decisions.
According to Iranian media reports, Pezeshkian spoke by phone with the head of Hamas’ political bureau, Khalil al-Hayya, and congratulated him on his election to the position. During the conversation, the Iranian president emphasized that Tehran “stands by the ‘Palestinian’ people” and will continue to support them, but added that Iran supports “any step or decision” taken by Arab leaders in the negotiations on the future of the Gaza Strip.
According to the Hamas statement, Pezeshkian told al-Hayya: “We are with you and support any step you decide to take, despite the aggression we ourselves are experiencing.” On the other hand, Al-Hayya thanked the Iranian president for Tehran’s support and updated him on developments in the negotiations, along with the situation in the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria, and Jerusalem.
The Iranian president’s statement is particularly striking against the backdrop of Tehran’s traditional position, which has been considered one of Hamas’s main supporters over the years. Just a few days ago, the Revolutionary Guards declared that “the plot to disarm Hamas has failed,” following reports of political initiatives to end the fighting in the Gaza Strip.
The report also indicates that Hamas had previously hoped that Iran would push, within the framework of its talks with the United States, for the issue of the Gaza Strip to become a central part of any future agreement, but according to the report, senior Iranian regime officials did not provide a clear commitment on the matter to the organization’s representatives.