TEHRAN- Iran’s foreign minister has commended the current anti-Israel operation carried out by the Gaza-based Palestinian resistance groups, saying it demonstrated that, contrary to common belief, Palestine is still alive.

The comments were made by Hossein Amir Abdollahian at a meeting with Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas political bureau, on Saturday in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

Emphasizing that the issue of Palestine is highly important to the Muslim world, the top diplomat said, “Supporting Palestine is a religious, human and moral responsibility.”

On October 7, Hamas launched the al-Aqsa Storm Operation against Israel, dealing a blow to the occupation regime that it had not seen since its establishment in 1948. They advanced well into the occupied areas, killing more than 240 Israeli soldiers and capturing over 100.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Amir Abdollahian said the Palestinians’ operation also proved that “the process of normalization of some countries’ relations with Israel cannot weaken the strong will of the Palestinian nation in pursuing its natural, human and legal rights.”

Normalization deals have been dubbed “a stab in the back of Palestine”. The operation showed normalization accords can never weaken Palestinians’ resolve to recover their rights.

Iran’s foreign minister stated that his country has suggested holding an exceptional conference of the foreign ministers of Islamic nations to push for stopping the Zionist regime’s cruel bombardment of the people in the besieged Gaza. 

He also noted that Tehran welcomes any effort made by Muslim nations to help the Palestinian people.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will never back down on its principles and values in support of the Palestinian nation,” the foreign minister said.

He added that the al-Aqsa Storm was the Palestinian nation’s “natural reaction” to continuous crimes and provocative moves by Netanyahu’s extremist cabinet.

“If the Zionist regime’s war crimes continue in Gaza, any possibility in the region can be taken into consideration, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue its efforts to stop the war crimes committed by the Zionists,” Amir Abdollahian said.

Hanyia: Al-Aqsa Storm was a logical response to Israeli atrocities 

Haniyeh, for his part, said that Operation al-Aqsa Storm was a logical response to the Israeli regime’s atrocities against the Palestinian people in the past and its recent expansion of breaches of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

The atrocities committed by the Zionist regime in Gaza, he said, demonstrate Israelis’ uncertainty and helplessness in the face of the devastating blow delivered by Palestinian resistance fighters.

Haniyeh said that the Palestinian resistance is still strong and robust despite the regime’s war crimes and the devastation of houses, mosques, and hospitals in Gaza.

Iran, Qatar discuss issues of Palestine

In a Sunday meeting, Amir Abdollahian and Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also discussed the issues surrounding Palestine. 

On the fourth day of his regional tour, which also took him to Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, Amir Abdollahian also met with his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani to review a host of issues, particularly the latest developments in Palestine.

“If the Zionist regime’s crimes against the people and citizens of Palestine continue, nobody can guarantee that conditions in the region will remain the same,” Iran’s top diplomat warned.

Amir Abdollahian described the daily slaughter of hundreds of Palestinians by Israel as “abhorrent”.

‘Killing hundreds of Palestinians every day is intolerable’

“It is not tolerable that the Zionist regime is killing hundreds of Palestinians every day, and this war crime, as well as the blockade of Gaza and blocking access of the people of Gaza to water and food and medicines, must come to an end,” Iran’s chief diplomat asserted. 

Slamming the United States’ approach to Israel’s crimes in Gaza, Amir Abdollahian said, “While a great number of Palestinians are being killed by the Zionist regime on a daily basis, the U.S. administration calls on others to show self-restraint. At the same time, it has increased its all-out military support for the criminal Zionist regime.”

Additionally, he conveyed his thanks to Doha for its pro-Palestine stance in light of the recent events.

Qatar: Regional nations unified in supporting Palestinians 

The Qatari diplomat, for his part, expressed worry about the worsening circumstances in Gaza, notably the attacks on Palestinians by the Israeli regime. 

He said that, in the face of Israeli atrocities, the regional nations are unified in their support for the Palestinian people, making the Palestine issue the most critical one for the whole Muslim world.

“UN must act quickly to end Israel’s cruel bombardment of Palestinians”

In a meeting with the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Tor Wennesland, in Beirut on Saturday, Amir Abdollahian said that the UN must put an immediate end to Israel’s brutal aggression against the Palestinians “before it is too late.”

He asserted that given the regime’s present intentions of relocating Palestinian residents of Gaza, the UN should intervene quickly.

Wennesland, for his part, drew attention to the awful circumstances in Gaza and expressed worry about the threat of conflict spreading to the region and the issue getting worse.