New Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi hosts Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh (Twitter/IRAN GOV/Screenshot)
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, a guest of honor at the event, was singled out for praise by Raisi.
By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News
Freshly inaugurated Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi hosted the leaders of various terror groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad during his first day in office Friday, assuring Iran’s continued support for groups seeking the destruction of Israel.
As arson balloons launched by Gaza-based terror groups sparked fires in Israel’s south, and Hezbollah lobbed some 19 rockets across Israel’s northern border, Raisi hosted representatives from the terror groups responsible for the attacks.
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, a guest of honor at the event, was singled out for praise by Raisi. According to state-owned Iranian news agency Fars, Raisi reassured Haniyeh that Iran is committed to supporting the terror group.
“Palestine has been and always will be the number one issue of the Muslim world,” he said.
“We’ve never had and will never have any doubt about this policy.”
Raisi told the head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad that, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has no doubt in supporting Palestine, and we will always defend the rights of these oppressed people.”
May 2021’s Operation Guardian of the Walls had been won not by Israel, but by Palestinian terror groups, Raisi said.
“Today, signs of great victory of the resistance movement have emerged and Operation [Guardian of the Walls] was one of the signs of this victory,” he said.
The outcome of the clash signals the impending end of Israel, he added.
Social media users noted that the terror leaders, including Haniyeh and Hezbollah delegates, were seated in the first row, while a European Union representative was seated behind them.
Last week, a spokesman from Israel’s Foreign Ministry had harsh criticism for the European Union over its decision to send a senior representative to the inauguration.
Lior Haiat referred to Raisi as the “butcher of Tehran” and said he was troubled by the EU’s “puzzling” choice to send a diplomat to attend his swearing-in ceremony.
Raisi’s heavy emphasis on Iran’s support for Palestinian terror groups and Hezbollah comes as thousands of Iranians suffer from water shortages in Khuzestan province.
The water crisis has sparked unrest, with hundreds protesting in the streets and at least eight demonstrators killed by Iranian security forces.
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