TEHRAN (Agencies): The leader of Iran’s elite Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, has asserted an unwavering commitment to support Hamas in its conflict with Israel, promising to do “whatever it takes.” In a letter addressed to the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, Qaani declared that Tehran and its allies would prevent any attempt by the “brutal enemy” to conquer Gaza.
Qaani’s statement comes in the wake of reports suggesting that Iran aimed to avoid direct involvement in the Gaza conflict. He emphasized Hamas’s capability, praising its “initiative and innovation” in the face of the ongoing battle. The letter, published by the state-backed Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), follows earlier reports indicating that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had assured Hamas of political and moral support but ruled out military intervention.
While Reuters reported Khamenei’s stance, top Hamas official Osama Hamdan dismissed it as “worthless lies,” accusing the news agency of intending to harm the image of Hamas and its allies in the “axis of resistance.” Qaani, who took over the Quds Force in 2020, congratulated the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades for their “impressive victory and qualitative achievement” in the conflict, assuring them of the unified support of their allies in the “resistance axis.”