Hamas representative in Iran: We will never surrender our weapons to enemy

Pars Today – The representative of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Iran reaffirmed the group's commitment to armed resistance, saying it would never hand over its weapons.

According to Pars Today, citing IRIB News Agency, Khaled Qaddoumi, Hamas' representative in Iran, said during an Iranian television interview on Thursday night that weapons are a legitimate means of resistance under international law, adding that Palestinians, as a people living under Israeli occupation, have the right to defend themselves.

Qaddoumi said that Israel is not committed to negotiations, adding that it uses every opportunity to derail diplomatic talks and does not honor its ceasefire commitments.

Commenting on Hamas' military capabilities, he said:

"Thanks to God, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades and the other resistance factions are in very good condition. They remain prepared, strong, armed, faithful, and active."

He argued that Israel's continued negotiations with Hamas reflect its inability to eliminate the movement despite its military operations.

Referring to Operation Al-Aqsa Storm in 2023 as a historic turning point, Qaddoumi said the operation reshaped the region and the wider world, adding that it exposed the true nature of Israel as a child-killing regime in the eyes of the international community.

Qaddoumi also pointed to shifts in global public opinion, saying that non-Muslim and non-Arab communities have increasingly expressed support for Palestine. He cited large-scale demonstrations in London, student protest movements in the United States, and opposition in several European countries to visits by Israeli officials as signs of Israel's diplomatic and moral defeat.

He further said that Israel is now viewed as an enemy of humanity and as the principal source of tension in the region and beyond. According to Qaddoumi, changing public narratives and influencing global opinion are even more significant than missiles or military power, adding that Israel is now more internationally isolated than ever before.

In another part of his remarks, the Hamas representative referred to the steadfastness of the Iranian people and its impact on the Palestinian resistance. He said that the Iranian people have come to recognize that their true enemy is the same as that of the Palestinian people—the Israeli regime.

Qaddoumi added that the continued public support in Iran for the Palestinian cause and the resistance has forged an unbreakable bond, stating that it has turned Tehran into a powerful Gaza.