Deputy Iranian Foreign Minister: During the recent crisis, we were in direct contact and held consultations with Hamas.
By ARIEL BEN SOLOMONAn Islamic jihad terrorist(photo credit: REUTERS)
Tehran is going to provide missiles to Palestinians in the West Bank, Amir Mousavi, a former adviser to the Iranian defense minister, says.“A new front must be opened from the West Bank, after it has been armed – especially with missiles, because we know very well that the distance between the West Bank and Tel Aviv, Haifa and other areas is much shorter than the distance from Gaza,” Mousavi said on Lebanese Al-Mayadeen TV on Friday, MEMRI (the Middle East Media Research Institute) reported.“Therefore, simple means are required. There is no need for long-range missiles.”Mousavi said that the “resistance camp,” made up of Iran, Hezbollah, Iraq and Syria, has “established very important channels via Jordan, the Golan Heights, and other areas.”“Everybody will see that new and significant fronts will be opened all of a sudden to support the Palestinian cause in the West Bank and in Gaza,” he asserted.The “arming of Gaza will be stepped up and strategic weapons will be introduced into the West Bank,” he added. “We hope the PA will not hinder us.”In another interview on Sunday reported by MEMRI, this time on Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV station, Iran’s Deputy Minister for Arab and Foreign Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian said his country has been in constant contact with Hamas throughout the current crisis.“Even under the worst conditions, Iran maintained good ties with Hamas. During the recent crisis, we were in direct contact and held consultations with Hamas, with [leader] Ismail Haniyeh, and with Hamas political bureau head Khaled Mashaal,” said Abdollahian.He claimed that “85 percent” of Hamas’s rockets “hit their targets” despite reports that Israel’s Iron Dome system has shot down nearly every rocket headed for a built-up area.
“Two days ago, the Iranian foreign minister called Khaled Mashaal and talked with him for 20 minutes. This was a very important conversation,” Abdollahian said. “We regularly support Hamas and Islamic Jihad and all factions of the Palestinian resistance.”
