The Office of the Supreme Leader

Hamas victory, the divine surprise

Tehran, Feb 20 - Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution called Hamas landslide win in the recent Palestinian elections a sweet divine surprise and the fulfillment of God's promises.

Ayatollah Khaemenei made the remarks during a meeting with the popular movement's political bureau chief Khaled Mashal and his accompanying delegation.

Touching on the conditions of the Palestinian people and their combatant groups during past years, he said "Palestinian people and combatant groups never became frustrated and kept on their jihad even under conditions in which all doors were apparently shut to them. They finally witnessed the divine promises fulfilled one after another."

Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the victory of Hamas right after the liberation of the Gaza right which "caught every one off guard."

Ayatollah Khamenei said these victories rest on the Palestinian nation's resistance and steadfastness, adding "the Palestinian nation proved it is a vigilant, political and wise nation, because, they voted to Hamas as they realized the vote meant the choice of resistance and combat against the Zionist regime."

The leader then referred to Khaled Mashal's remarks who mapped Hamas's principles and red lines as 'no recognition of the Zionist regime,' 'no talks with the regime,' 'the return of Palestinian refugees,' and 'setting Beit ul-Moqaddas as capital', saying, "the positions are well-adopted and correct and the only way of success is to continue the path and observe those red lines."

The leader of Islamic Revolution attached high significance to the obligations of the Islamic nations and governments towards the Palestinian issue and emphasized "by adopting due decisions, grounds must be provided for all Muslims to share this important issue of the Islamic world through their contributions."

Ayatollah Khamenei called for establishing a fund by all Muslims to annually collect their contributions to the Palestinian issue and described it as one of the solutions to help the Islamic Ummah get involved in the issue.

"The voluntary contribution will develop spiritual ties among Muslims and the Palestinian issue, and will also bring a large effect to the world."

Ayatollah Khamenei also called for cooperation, intimacy and unanimity among all Palestinian groups in continuing the path and resolving the problems of the Palestinian people.

Khaled Mahsal for his part praised the Islamic Republic of Iran for its positions towards the Palestinian issue. He called Hamas victory the victory of the overall Islamic Ummah. He emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran definitely shares the win. Mashal congratulated the victory to the Iranian nation.

Hamas chief described the movement's victory as the divine blessing and fulfillment of God's promise. He highlighted the role of resistance and the blood of martyrs in achieving the victory, adding "the Palestinian people's choice was made consciously. They in fact voted to Islam, resistance, reform and change, taking current conditions and pressures into consideration."

Khaled Mashal touched on the West's and the Zionists' propaganda, political and economic pressures against Hamas and the Palestinian people, asserting that Hamas will move forward even under present conditions without the least of failures in its principle stances and red lines.

He said that the movement will establish with the help of Palestinian people and Islamic Ummah a government which fits the dignity and sovereignty of the Palestinian nation.

"Hamas will pursue to materialize its slogans," he said.
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