Iran
Iran's rulers caught between Trump's crackdown and a fragile economy
For Iran's clerical leaders, engaging with the "Great Satan" to hammer out a nuclear deal and ease crippling sanctions may for once be the lesser of two evils.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with acting Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya and two other leaders of the Palestinian group in Tehran on Saturday, Iranian state media reported.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei meets with the head of the Political Council of Hamas, Mohammed Ismail Darwish and senior officials of Hamas, in Tehran, Iran, February 8, 2025. Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with acting Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya and two other leaders of the Palestinian group in Tehran on Saturday, Iranian state TV reported.
"You defeated the Zionist regime [Israel], which was in fact America's defeat," Khamenei, whose country supports Hamas in its war with Israel, told the Palestinian delegation. "You did not allow them to achieve any of their goals."
Iranian TV said the Palestinian leaders were in Tehran to congratulate Khamenei on the anniversary of the 1979 Iranian revolution. They expressed gratitude for Iran's continued support.
The delegation, which also included Mohammad Darwish, head of Hamas' leadership council, and top Hamas official Nizar Awadallah, presented Khamenei a report on the current situation in Gaza and the West Bank, and "the victories and successes that were achieved".
"We come to meet with you today with pride," the TV quoted al-Hayya as telling Khamenei.
Khamenei said U.S. threats against Iran "have no effect on the mindset of our nation," the Iranian media said.
Dubai Newsroom, Editing by Mark Potter
For Iran's clerical leaders, engaging with the "Great Satan" to hammer out a nuclear deal and ease crippling sanctions may for once be the lesser of two evils.
Israel carried out "genocidal acts" against Palestinians by systematically destroying women's healthcare facilities during the conflict in Gaza, and used sexual violence as a war strategy, United Nations experts said in a report on Thursday.
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araqchi has not ruled out talks with Washington, but says they can only take place if both countries are on "equal terms," an Iranian state-run newspaper reported on Thursday.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.