After global recognition: Iran's IRGC rejects two-state solution
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Saturday dismissed the two-state solution as a 'devilish conspiracy,' reaffirming its rejection of any proposal recognizing Israel's legitimacy.
The concept envisions a sovereign Palestinian state established alongside Israel, based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital—an idea backed by much of the international and Arabic communities.
In its statement, the IRGC marked the anniversary of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's assassination in Tehran, blaming Israel and vowing that 'hidden capacities' within the Axis of Resistance (a coalition of Iran-backed armed groups) would ensure the eventual collapse of the 'Zionist regime.'
The group also praised the October 7 Al-Aqsa Flood operation as a lasting model for armed resistance and quoted Hamas's pledge to 'never ever recognize Israel.'
Global momentum behind a negotiated two-state plan has grown in recent days. Over 125 countries endorsed the 'New York Declaration,' a Saudi-French initiative calling for a phased roadmap to Palestinian statehood alongside Israeli security guarantees. It outlines a ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the transfer of governance to the Palestinian Authority.
Support for the plan has come from major Western powers, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who have all urged a diplomatic resolution, while emphasizing the importance of "safeguarding Israeli interests."
Although Hamas maintains its opposition to Israel's existence, some Palestinian factions have hinted at a willingness to accept a state within the 1967 borders. The Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas, continues to push for a two-state framework rooted in UN resolutions.
Israeli officials, however, have rejected the latest proposal outright, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition arguing that Palestinian statehood "threatens national security" and that any solution must exclude groups "unwilling to disarm or recognize Israel."
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