Senior Official:

Hamas Never Accepts Cut of Ties with Iran

Rasa - Deputy Head of Hamas political bureau Saleh al-Arouri underlined that the resistance group would never agree to sever ties with Iran and give up armed struggle as prerequisites for talks with Israel.

News ID: 433306

Date: 21 October 2017 - 22:03

RNA - Al-Arouri made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian Supreme Leader's top adviser for international affairs Ali Akbar Velayati in Tehran on Saturday.

Referring to the peace negotiations in Cairo, he said that Israel had set three preconditions for talks, including disarmament of Hamas, recognition of the Zionist regime and cutting ties with Iran.

"In response to the first prerequisite that was disarmament of Hamas, we have declared that we don’t accept it at all," he said, adding that the second precondition was also rejected as Hamas is now fighting to annihilate the Zionist regime.

"Our presence in Iran is the practical denial of the third precondition that was cutting ties with Iran," al-Arouri said.

A high-ranking Hamas delegation began a visit to Iran on Friday to inform Tehran about reconciliation efforts with rival Palestinian faction Fatah, a Hamas official said.

The group led by al-Arouri will meet senior Iranian officials over the next several days, the representative said on condition of anonymity.

The two Palestinians factions have agreed a landmark deal to end a decade-long split and are seeking to form a unity government along with other parties.

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