Iran Firmly Supports Palestinians: 1st VP

Tehran, Feb 13, IRNA – First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi said that supporting Palestine and the Palestinian resistance movement of Hamas are among the firm stances of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Rahimi made the remark in a joint press conference with the democratically-elected Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Sunday. 'Palestinian nation and resistance should know that the Iranian nation always support them and as long as there is resistance, the Islamic Republic of Iran will be beside the resistance and the Palestinian nation,' he added. Rahimi pointed out that resistance is tantamount to defending Islam and Palestine that has been under the suppression of Criminal Zionists. 'It goes without saying that the resistance forces will become victorious by relying on God and resisting against the bullying powers,' he added. By complaining from some rulers of Muslim countries, Rahimi noted that if the efforts by these rulers which are aimed at harming the Syrian government were directed at supporting the Palestinian nation, there would be no place for the Zionists in the Middle East at present. 'Stances of Iran are suitable models for the people of the world. We hope that the rulers of Muslim countries will support the oppressed Palestinian nation,' the vice president added. He pointed out that Iran and Palestine have many things in common in different fields. The democratically-elected Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh for his part said that given the recent developments in Arab countries, the Arab spring should be used in line with the interests of Palestinians, liberating the holy Quds, Beit-ul-Moqaddas and Al-Aqsa mosque. 'The Iranian nation has unchangeable stances in defending the oppressed Palestinian nation and the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas,' he added. Haniyeh expressed satisfaction with his meetings with the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani, and other senior officials during his visit to Iran. 'During my meetings, I became more confident that the Islamic Republic of Iran has accepted the issue of Palestine as an ideological issue and it is committed to it under all circumstances,' the Palestinian prime minister added. Haniyeh pointed out that during his meetings with Iranian officials, they discussed the issue of Palestine, the issue of Holy Quds, internal affairs of Gaza Strip, as well as problems of Palestinians imprisoned in the Zionist regime's jails./end