Political Bureau Deputy Chair Khalil Al-Haya To Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei: 'We Have Come To Meet With You Today When We Are All Proud, And This Great Victory Is Jointly Ours And Iran's'; Khamenei: 'You Have Triumphed Over The Zionist Regime And In Fact Also Over America'

Memri

11-03-2025

In advance of Islamic Revolution Day, in February 2025, Iranian regime officials held a series of meetings in Tehran with a delegation from the Hamas leadership. The main event was the February 8 meeting with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who praised Hamas for its accomplishments in the struggle against Israel, calling them a victory over the U.S. as well, and committed to providing continued Iranian support until "Palestine's absolute victory" was achieved. Hamas Leadership Council chairman Muhammad Isma'il Darwish thanked Iran for its years-long support and stressed the importance of preparing the coming generations of fighters, as part of the understandings with Khamenei for continued support until Jerusalem's liberation.
In the following days, the Hamas delegation, which included Hamas political bureau deputy chairman Khalil Al-Haya and Hamas West Bank leader Zaher Jabarin, met with top Iranian officials, among them Majlis speaker Mohammad Baqr Qalibaf, Supreme National Security Council secretary general Ali Akhbar Ahmadian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The Hamas leadership presented the "victory of the resistance in Gaza" as a joint achievement with Iran. On February 9, Ahmadian, the Supreme National Security Council secretary general, announced that Hamas' struggle proves Israel's weakness and that it can be destroyed, and promised continued Iranian support for the Palestinian resistance. Hamas Leadership Council chairman Darwish called the October 7, 2023 invasion of Israel a historic turning point symbolizing the triumph of the oppressed over the patronizing arrogance led by the U.S., while emphasizing that the war was ongoing and that Hamas was planning its next stages.
According to a report in the online Arab daily Al-Rai Al-Yawm, the visit was aimed at strengthening Hamas-Iran ties, against the backdrop of the crisis following the assassination in Tehran of Hamas political bureau chairman Isma'il Haniyeh in July 2024. [1] The report stated, citing an Arab source, that during the visit, there was discussion about Hamas' request for political asylum in Iran should it be forced out of Qatar by pressure from the Trump administration, assuming that Turkey would not be able to guarantee a safe haven. [2]
This report will review the main meetings between the Hamas delegation and Iranian regime officials:
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei To Hamas Delegation: "You Have Triumphed Over The Zionist Regime And In Fact Also Over America"
At the Tehran meeting on February 8, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei praised the Hamas officials for their "triumph" over Israel, which he said is also a triumph over the U.S. Khamenei also expressed his commitment to continue his support for the Islamic struggle until "a solution for the Jerusalem issue" and an absolute Palestine victory are achieved. Hamas delegation members outlined the connection between Iran's Islamic Revolution Day and the "triumph of the resistance in Gaza," calling it " jointly ours and Iran's," and thanked Khamenei for his ongoing support for them.
Below are excerpts of the summary of the meeting that was posted on Khamenei's website:
"At the beginning of the meeting, Hamas Leadership Council chairman Muhammad Isma'il Darwish turned to Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei and said: 'We welcome the concurrence of the days of the victory of the resistance in Gaza with the anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution [in Iran]. We hope that this concurrence will herald the liberation of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.'
"Hamas political bureau deputy chairman said to Khamenei: 'We have come to meet with you today when we are all proud, and this great victory is jointly ours and Iran's.'
"Leader Khamenei paid tribute to the memory of the martyrs in Gaza and the martyred commanders, particularly to political bureau head Isma'il Haniyeh, and told the Hamas leadership: 'Allah the Almighty has given you and the people of Gaza honor and victory, and Gaza has become a living example of the Qur'anic verse: 'a small company has overcome a large company by permission of Allah' [2:249]. You have triumphed over the Zionist regime and in fact also over America, and by the grace of Allah you have prevented them from achieving their goals. All the pain and the heavy price have borne fruit in the victory of truth over lies, and the Gazans have become a symbol and model for all those who love the resistance.'
"Praising Hamas' negotiating teams and underlining the importance of the achievement of the [Gaza-Israel ceasefire], Khamenei said: 'Today, the entire Islamic world and all supporters of the resistance have a duty to help the residents of Gaza and alleviate their suffering.'
Hamas delegation meeting with Khamenei (Source: Khamenei.ir, February 8, 2025)
"Underscoring the importance of ongoing information campaigns alongside the military activity and the efforts to rebuild Gaza, Khamenei noted that the forces of the resistance and [especially] Hamas have been highly successful in their media and information activity and called to continue it. He stressed that faith is the main [source of] strength and asymmetric weapon of the resistance front against the enemy, saying that, 'thanks to this faith, the Islamic Republic and the resistance front do not feel weak in the face of their enemies.'
"Addressing the latest American threats against Iran and the Iranian people, Khamenei said: 'Threats of this kind have no effect whatsoever on the thinking of the leaders, the activists and the young people of our country. The issue of protecting Palestine and supporting the Palestinian people is not a matter of debate in the minds of the Iranian people; it is a clear and absolute stance. The Palestinian cause is a major issue for us, and Palestine's victory is a certain fact as far as we are concerned. Ultimately the final victory will be achieved by the Palestinian people. [Various] incidents and ups and downs should not be a cause for doubt; we must continue forward, propelled by faith and hope, and anticipate divine assistance. With Allah's grace, the day shall come when you will stand proud, having acted to resolve the issue of Jerusalem on behalf of the Islamic world. This day will surely come.'
"The leaders of the resistance paid tribute to the commanders who have been killed, including Hamas political bureau head Isma'il Haniyeh, Hizbullah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hamas' military wing, Yahya Sinwar, and [Hamas'] military chief in the West Bank and deputy head of its political bureau, Saleh Al-Arouri. They also presented a report on the current situation in Gaza and the West Bank, described the latest achievements, and expressed their gratitude for Iran and the Iranian people's ongoing support for the Palestinian struggle." [3]
Hamas Political Bureau Deputy Chair Khalil Al-Haya: "The Al-Aqsa Flood… Is The Beginning Of The Road Towards Liberating Palestine, Ending The Occupation And Restoring Jerusalem And The Al-Aqsa Mosque To The Islamic Nation… We Are Confident That Iran Will Continue To Stand With Palestine And The Resistance Until We Triumph Together In Jerusalem"
Speaking at the main Revolution Day ceremony in Tehran on February 10, Hamas political bureau deputy chair Khalil Al-Haya stressed that the Al-Aqsa Flood had united the Palestinian people against the Israeli aggression and marked the first phase in the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem on behalf of the entire Muslim nation. He added that "the projects of Trump and the West," i.e., the expulsion of the Gazans, will fail again as they failed in the past, and expressed confidence that Iran's years-long support for Palestine and the resistance will continue until the final victory is achieved.
He said: "The Palestinian people will never leave its land. The Al-Aqsa Flood managed to rally the people to the defense of Gaza against the aggression of the Zionist enemy. The Al-Aqsa Flood is the first stage on the road towards the end of the occupation and the victory of Palestine. This operation managed to remove the illusions and the fear of confronting the occupiers.
Hamas political bureau deputy chair Khalil Al-Haya speaking in Tehran (Source: Tasnim, February 10, 2025)
"The projects of Trump and the West [for the expulsion of the Gazans] are destined to fail. We will thwart them as we thwarted the previous projects. Among the leaders who achieved martyrdom in the Battle of the Al-Aqsa Flood were the likes of Isma'il Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, Muhammad Deif and his deputy Marwan Issa, Hassan Nasrallah, Hashem Safi Al-Din and other commanders and fighters.
"Iran has for decades remained committed to supporting the Palestinian cause, the rights of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian resistance. We are confident that Iran will continue to stand with Palestine and the resistance until we triumph together in Jerusalem.
"The anniversary of Iran's Islamic Revolution coincides this year with the victory of the Al-Aqsa Flood in Gaza and Palestine. We hereby declare, before the Iranian people and the entire world, that the Al-Aqsa Flood, which came out against the aggression of the Zionist enemy, is the beginning of the road towards liberating Palestine, ending the occupation and restoring Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa mosque to the Islamic nation.
"The enemy's war and aggression have stopped, and Allah foiled the plots of the occupiers. True, they destroyed buildings and land and killed many, but the Palestinian people remained strong, powerful, honorable and triumphant. Allah repelled this aggression, and this is the divine promise: 'And Allah repulsed the disbelievers in their wrath; they gained no good. Allah averted their attack from the believers' [Quran 33:25]. The Al-Aqsa Flood, which stood up against the aggression, occupation, arrogance and usurpation, is replete with great significance." [4]
Supreme National Security Council Secretary General Ali Akhbar Ahmadian To Hamas Delegation: "In The War Against Gaza We Saw With Our Own Eyes That It Is Possible To Destroy Israel"
On February 9, 2025, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, secretary general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, met with members of the Hamas delegation. Praising their struggle against Israel, he stated that their war proves that Israel can be destroyed, and stressed Iran's commitment to continue to support the Palestinian resistance. Leadership Council chairman Muhammad Isma'il Darwish called October 7 a day that smashed the West's regime of patronizing arrogance, led by the U.S., and that it was a victory of the oppressed over the arrogance. He added that while the war was not yet over, Hamas was preparing for the next phase.
National Security Council chairman Ali Akhbar Ahmadian (right) meets with Hamas Leadership Council head Isma'il Darwish (left) (Source: Tasnim, February 9, 2025)
Ahmadian said: "In the war against Gaza we have seen with our own eyes that it is possible to destroy Israel. After 470 days of resistance, it is clear that this goal is achievable. People who never would have thought to support Palestine have become supporters of the Gaza resistance. Today, we see the entire world, even European elements, standing up for the rights of the Palestinian people. The Gazans, with their exemplary resistance, have become a model for themselves and for the generations to come. We will continue to do our part in order to support the Gazans, for their continued success and for the resistance in Palestine and Lebanon."
Darwish said: "We have sacrificed many martyrs on the road to Jerusalem – Yahya Sinwar, Muhammad Deif, Hassan Nasrallah, Hashem Safi Al-Din, the martyrs in Iraq and Yemen, and, most important, the martyrs in Iran, and they are without a doubt the main elements of victory. October 7 was a day that shook the world and shattered the system of the arrogance [the West, led by the U.S.]. The Zionist regime was a mechanism of the arrogance in the region that America was forced to support with all its strength because it was about to collapse. October 7 was a victory of the oppressed over the arrogance. In this war, Gaza succeeded in standing up against Israel and America, with limited resources, and to smash the myth of the Zionist military might.
He continued: "On October 7, we went out to the enemy, pursued him, and destroyed his forces and equipment. At the same time, the miracle was not only on October 7 – it was also in the resistance that has continued for 15 months. Up until October 6, the [Zionist] regime had maintained strategic deterrence, but after October 7, it became strategically fragile. This situation was the result of the resistance operations in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq, and of the direct military operations by Iran. The war has not yet ended, and we will prepare ourselves for the next phase." [5]
Hamas Leadership Council Chairman Darwish: "The Palestinian Resistance, In Which The Islamic Republic Of Iran Has Played A Vitally Important Role, Is A Project That Has Been Ongoing For Over 40 Years; Today, We Met With Iran's Supreme Leader And We Both Stressed The Need To Continue On This Path… So That, With God's Help, We Will Achieve The Final Victory And The Liberation Of Jerusalem"
On February 8, 2025, the speaker of the Iranian Majlis, Mohammad Baqr Qalibaf, met with the Hamas delegation, headed by Muhammad Darwish. Qalibaf stressed in the meeting that the Al-Aqsa Flood operation – Hamas' name for the October 7 attack – was not only "God's will" but also a turning point that demonstrated Israel's weakness. Darwish stressed the important role played by the Iranian regime in its support for Hamas, and underlined the agreement with Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei about continued training of fighters until the final victory and the liberation of Jerusalem.
Qalibaf said: "We have the great honor of meeting with you during this blessed period – which coincides with both the 10 days of Fajr that mark the 46th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution and with the great achievements in Gaza and Lebanon. For us, this meeting is a source of joy and pride. The Zionist regime aimed to erase Palestine and Gaza from history. By the grace of Allah, the residents of Gaza and Palestine have proven that steadfastness lives, not only among the Palestinian people but among all freedom-loving people in the world. Their call for adherence to the culture of the Qur'an and the struggle against injustice has again resonated.
Majlis speaker Qalibaf (right) and Hamas Leadership Council chairman Darwish in Tehran (Source: Mashregh, February 8, 2025)
"Without a doubt, the false Zionist regime and Trump must know today that the right to determine the fate of the Palestinian people belongs to the Palestinian people itself. The Palestinian people will never allow the Zionist regime and the Americans to scheme and plot, and will stand fast against them. Palestine is stronger and more united than ever, particularly among today's young generation… The Al-Aqsa Flood was a turning point in changing the fate of history. From the filthy birth of the Zionist regime until the Al-Aqsa Flood operation that endangered its very existence, the regime has tried to present itself, for over 75 years, as invincible and invulnerable. But both its strategies and its tactics failed in the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, and this was the will of God."
Darwish said: "The ceasefire was nothing but a defeat for the Zionist regime. We are glad that this meeting is taking place at a time when we are marking two victories – the first is the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, and the second is our victory in Gaza. Our people has struggled for decades, and over time has remained steadfast and determined to continue on the path until it achieves the liberation of Palestine.
"The Al-Aqsa Flood operation was a formative event in our generation. It demonstrated that the steadfastness of nations can lead to victory. We prepared ourselves well for the campaign, and thanks to the preparation, the fighters' determination and the ongoing education of generations of fighters, we achieved this victory. We used all our capabilities to stand up to the enemy and expel the occupiers. By virtue of the preparations, the faith in our fighters and the struggle that continued from generation to generation, we were able to achieve victory. The Palestinian resistance, in which the Islamic Republic of Iran has played a vitally important role, is a project that has been going on for more than 40 years. Today we met with Iran's Supreme Leader, and we both stressed the need to continue on this path. Therefore, we will continue to educate and train new generations of fighters, so that with God's help we will achieve the final victory and the liberation of Jerusalem. With God's help, the day will also come when we will pray together in Jerusalem…" [6]
[1] Al-Rai Al-Yawm, February 10, 2025.
[2] i24news.tv/ar, February 11, 2025.
[3] Khamenei.ir, February 8. 2025.
[4] Tasnim (Iran), February 10, 2025.
[5] Tasnim (Iran), February 9, 2025.
[6] Mashregh (Iran), February 8, 2025.