TEHRAN – In a letter to Hamas’ new Political Leader Yahya Sinwar, the commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), reiterated Tehran’s commitment to avenging the assassination of Sinwar’s predecessor Ismail Haniyeh, whom Israel killed on Iranian soil on July 31. 

“Martyr Haniyeh was truly one of the most courageous leaders of the Islamic Resistance and a valuable and solid personality who created unity in the Islamic world,” Brigadier General Esmail Qaani said in the letter released on Friday. “As the Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated, we consider it our responsibility to avenge his blood,” he added. 

The commander also praised the appointment of Sinwar as Haniyeh’s successor, saying the selection shows Hamas members have decided to make the figure with the most “influence on the battlefield” the flagbearer of the Resistance group. “I congratulate all the heroes of Hamas, Gaza, and the Palestinian nation on your election.”

General Qaani’s letter to Sinwar comes after the U.S. engaged several countries to dissuade Iran from responding to Haniyeh’s assassination, who was killed during his stay in a Tehran building hours after he attended the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian. Hamas announced on Tuesday that its members have unanimously chosen Sinwar to succeed Haniyeh.

President Pezeshkian as well as other Iranian officials have told foreign dignitaries pleading with Tehran to refrain from responding to the regime that turning a blind eye to Israel’s crimes will only embolden its politicians in their blatant breach of international law. “The West should contain Israel if it truly wishes to avert war in West Asia,” Pezeshkian told his French counterpart Emanuel Macron during a Wednesday phone call. 

Haniyeh’s path to be followed “more strongly”

In a separate letter addressed to Sinwar, IRGC’s chief commander hailed the Palestinian fighter’s selection as the new leader of the political bureau of Hamas, reaffirming Iran’s unwavering support for the Palestinian resistance movement.

The general stated that the selection of Sinwar after the martyrdom of his predecessor has drastically concerned the “criminal Zionist enemy and its shameless sponsors.”

“The appointment of a new head for the political bureau of Hamas indicated that when a great man is martyred after years of devotion to duty, other sincere and prudent forces will follow his path more strongly,” he added.

He also assured the new Hamas leader that the IRGC would spare no effort to assist Hamas and the other resistance forces as a glorious duty.

In his concluding remarks, Major General Salami predicted that the patience and fortitude of the Palestinian people, especially those in Gaza, would shift global power dynamics in favor of Islam and ultimately lead to the elimination of Israel from Palestinian lands.

Another high-profile letter congratulating Sinwar’s new position came from Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. “Undoubtedly, the wise selection of your Excellency shows that the members of Hamas will continue to stand up, fight, and resist the criminal Zionist regime,” he said, adding, “The path of resistance is endless.”

Palestine is now a “global ideal”

Iran's Acting Foreign Minister Ali Baqeri Kani has expressed strong support for Yahya Sinwar and Hamas until the "liberation of the entire historical land of Palestine from the river to the sea." 

In a letter to Sinwar, Baqeri Kani lauded his election as a "symbol of hope, cohesion, authority, and victory" for Hamas and the "Axis of Resistance." He characterized the appointment as a resounding rejection of the "policy of terror, occupation, and aggression" of Israel and its international allies.

The Iranian official stressed the growing global influence of Palestinian resistance, particularly the role of Gaza. "Now, thanks to the faithful and heroic fight of the dear Palestinian people, especially the oppressed and powerful Gaza, Palestine has become a global ideal and resistance has become a strategic option," Baqeri Kani wrote.

He expressed confidence that under Sinwar's leadership, Hamas would continue to achieve "increasing political and field victories" until the "realization of the final victory in the liberation of the entire historical land of Palestine from the river to the sea," ultimately establishing an "independent State of Palestine with al-Quds as its capital."

Sinwar is believed to be the architect of Hamas’s October 7 Operation, which saw Palestinian fighters infiltrate the occupied territories and take hundreds of Israelis into Gaza. During the operation, Hamas managed to take control of some Israeli settlements for several hours. The new Resistance leader spent over two decades in Israeli jails.