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February 3, 2025 Special Dispatch No. 11812

Iranian Foreign Minister In Meeting With Hamas Leadership In Qatar: Iran Welcomes Gaza's 'Historic Victory' And Will Continue To Support It; We Coordinate Extensively With Qatar

February 3, 2025
Iran, Qatar, Palestinians | Special Dispatch No. 11812

During a January 30, 2025 visit to the Qatari capital of Doha, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Hamas' leaders who reside there, and conveyed Iran's congratulations to this movement on its "historic victory" in Gaza and on its success in imposing its conditions in the ceasefire agreement with Israel. He stressed that Iran would continue to support the Palestinian resistance "until Palestine is liberated from occupation." Hamas' leaders, for their part, thanked Iran for supporting their movement and stated that "the historic victory of the resistance in Gaza is thanks to the Palestinian people's steadfastness despite the extensive killing and destruction, and thanks to the support of the resistance axis, headed by Iran."

During his visit Araghchi also met with Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Abd Al-Rahman bin Jassim Aal Thani to discuss the strengthening of the relations between the countries, and in an interview with Qatar's Al-Jazeera channel he stressed that there is extensive coordination between Iran and Qatar.  

This report reviews Araghchi's visit to Qatar and his meetings and statements there.

Araghchi To Hamas Leadership: We Will Continue To Support The Palestinian Resistance, Which Has Carried Out "A High-Quality And Courageous Operation," And Congratulate It On Its "Historic Victory"

The Hamas delegation that met with Araghchi in Doha on January 30 included the chairman of the movement's Leadership Council, Muhammad Darwish, as well as officials Khalil Al-Hayya, Hussam Badran, Izzat Al-Rishq and Bassem Na'im. According to a report on the Hamas website, the officials discussed "the latest political developments, the developments on the ground, the implementation of the Gaza Strip ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal and the occupation's efforts to delay the process of rebuilding [the Strip] and delivering aid to our people." Darwish "praised Iran's support for the Palestinian people… and emphasized that the blessed Al-Aqsa Flood war was an important milestone on our people's path to defeating the occupation." He added: "The occupation's plans and dreams of uprooting our people from its land by means of a criminal war of extermination and by every other means have been in vain and will never achieve a thing… Our people is deeply rooted in its land and cleaves to its rights, its Jerusalem and its Al-Aqsa."

Araghchi, for his part, "stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue to support the struggle of the Palestinian people and its heroic resistance, which has proved to the world that the 'invincible Israeli army' is a lie, has carried out a high-quality heroic operation on the ground, and is conducting negotiations from a position of equality [with Israel] that have yielded a ceasefire and an honorable prisoner exchange deal."[1]


Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi with Hamas Leadership Council chairman Darwish (Image: Hamasinfo.info, January 30, 2025)


Araghchi's meeting with the Hamas delegation (Images: Hamasinfo.info, January 30, 2025)

Hamas Officials: The Historic Victory Was Thanks To The Support Of The Iran-Led Resistance Axis

An Iranian report on the meeting stated that Araghchi had conveyed "the warm congratulations of Supreme Leader [Ali Khamenei], President [Masoud Pezeshkian], the Iranian government and the Iranian people to the leaders of the resistance and to the brave Palestinian people, and praised the historic victory of the Palestinian people. He especially congratulated the resisting people of Gaza and their legendary steadfastness in the face of the aggression and genocide committed by the Zionist occupation regime for 16 months, [steadfastness] that forced [Israel to accept] the terms of the resistance in the ceasefire agreement. Araghchi stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran would continue its principled policy of supporting the resistance until all the rights of the Palestinian people are fully realized, [including] its right to self-determination and the liberation of Palestine from occupation."

According to the report, "Hamas' leaders conveyed the warm congratulations of the resistance fighters and the great Palestinian people to the leadership, government and people of Iran, expressed their appreciation for the support extended by the Islamic Republic of Iran to Palestine, and explained the political situation in Gaza and the West Bank after the [signing of] the ceasefire agreement. The Hamas officials assessed that the historic victory of the resistance in Gaza was thanks to the steadfastness [displayed by] the Palestinian people despite the extensive killing and destruction, and [also thanks to] the support of the resistance axis, headed by the Islamic Republic of Iran. They described the situation of the resistance in Palestine and the region as excellent after the recent victories…"[2]


Abbas Araghchi with Hamas officials Muhammad Darwish, Khalil Al-Hayya and Bassem Na'im (Image: Mizanonline.ir/fa, January 30, 2025)

Araghchi To Al-Jazeera: There Is Coordination Between Iran And Qatar; I Congratulated Hamas On 'Gaza's Victory"

In an interview on the Qatari Al-Jazeera channel, Araghchi said that there is coordination between Iran and Qatar on many issues, including the support for Gaza, and expressed his appreciation for Qatar's role in the current ceasefire there. He noted that he had met with the Hamas leaders and congratulated them on "Gaza's victory," while underscoring his country's willingness to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. Addressing Hamas' October 7 attack, he said that it had restored the Palestinian cause to the forefront of global attention, despite the losses in lives and property. "The Palestinian people in Gaza revived the Palestinian cause, which had almost been forgotten due to the [Arab] normalization [with Israel]," he added. Moreover, despite the loss of prominent leaders like Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and leaders of the Palestinian resistance, Araghchi said, the resistance has gained experience "that will make it more effective" in the future, and the discourse of the resistance "has come to life more than ever before."[3] 

Araghchi, On His Visit To Qatar, Meets With The Qatari Prime Minister To Discuss The Strengthening Of Relations Between The Countries

As stated, Araghchi also met in Doha with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad bin Abd Al-Rahman Bin Jassim Aal Thani. According to the Qatari daily Al-Raya the two  discussed "the ties of cooperation between the two countries and the strengthening of these ties, as well as the developments in the situation in the Gaza Strip, in the occupied Palestinian territories and in Syria, and other matters of mutual interest." The Qatari Prime Minister "stressed that Qatar persists in its efforts to deescalate and resolve conflicts, including its efforts to promote stability and peace in the region, along with its partners."[4]


Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi with Qatari Prime Minister Aal Thani (Image: Al-Raya, Qatar, January 30, 2025)

 

[1]  Hamasinfo.info, January 30, 2025.

[2]  Tasnim (Iran), January 30, 2025.

[3]  Aljazeera.net, January 31, 2025.

[4]  Al-Raya (Qatar), January 30, 2025.

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