15 Dec 2021; MEMO: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has said that Israel is the root cause of all the problems affecting the Middle East, PressTV has reported. Abdollahian also took aim at the few Arab states that have normalised relations with the occupation state for going against the interests of the Muslim Ummah.
The minister made his comments yesterday during a telephone conversation with Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas. He congratulated Haniyeh on the 34th anniversary of the movement's establishment. "Hamas is among the pioneers of the Islamic resistance front for the liberation of Holy Al-Quds [Jerusalem]," he pointed out, "and plays a pivotal role in restoring the historical rights of Palestinians."
Referring to the British government's recent plans to proscribe Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist organisation, the Iranian diplomat described the move as politically-motivated against the Palestinian people.
Haniyeh expressed his appreciation of Tehran's continued support for the Palestinians and praised the late Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike in January 2020. "We remember General Soleimani with honour and we appreciate the Islamic Republic of Iran's support for the Palestinian cause and resistance all through the years following the victory of the Islamic Revolution," said the former Palestinian prime minister.
The Hamas official also condemned the UAE for its normalisation with Israel and the historic visit by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to Abu Dhabi this week. "We did not expect Arab countries to embrace Zionist assassins, whose hands are stained with the blood of the Palestinian people," Haniyeh explained.
It has been reported that Bennett's talks with de facto UAE leader Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed and other Emirati officials focused on mutual security concerns regarding Iran.
Reacting to Bennett's visit, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday, "The acceptance of the prime minister of the illegitimate regime, which has been the cause of insecurity, tension and incitement to war in the Arab and Islamic countries for more than 70 years, will be recorded in the historical memory of the Palestinian people, the people of the region and all freedom fighters."
