Iran Envoy to India says Iran played no role in Hamas attack on Israel, says "Hamas an independent player"
Oct 13, 2023
New Delhi [India], October 13 (ANI): Responding to an email questionnaire sent by ANI on the recent Israel-Hamas war that has engulfed the Middle East region, the Iranian Ambassador to India, Iranian Ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi, distanced his country from Hamas' recent attack on South Israeli communities along the border with Gaza. The full transcript of the email questionnaire is as follows:
ANI Question: What do you think about recent developments in Israel?
Iraj Elahi-Iranian Ambassador to India: What surprises me the most is that we still rarely see an accurate representation of what really happens in Palestine. Israel commits countless atrocities against innocent Palestinians in Gaza, yet a significant portion of the media continues to overlook the Palestinians. Instead, they choose to concoct new evidence against Hamas to justify the criminal actions of the occupiers and the siege of Gaza. The Zionists act as if Palestinians are not human, suggesting that no one should care about their ceaseless suffering. This behavior illustrates the sheer brutality Palestinians endure. Regrettably, their voices and demands continue to be overshadowed in the media. No one dares to question why they should be deprived of basic human necessities like water, power, medicine, and other essential needs. The vast majority of the media deliberately ignores the truth, turning a blind eye and deaf ear to the voices and faces of Palestinians whose only "fault" is being born in Palestine.
ANI: There are reports by Western media that Iran helped plot attack on Israel over several weeks? Your comment on that.
Iraj Elahi-Iranian Ambassador to India: Western media tries to deny the independent power of Hamas by attributing recent developments to Iran's support. However, in truth, the strength of Hamas stands as an undeniable fact, and it remains an independent player that can steer the course of events on its own. As the Supreme Leader has stated, Hamas executed this operation without the assistance of Iran. Nonetheless, Iran will always support the Palestinian cause and the legitimate resistance of the Palestinians, consistently condemning the ruthless violence and occupation by the Zionists.
ANI: Iranian President and Saudi Crown Prince discussed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on Wednesday, in the first telephone call between the two leaders since a China-brokered deal between Tehran and Riyadh to resume ties. If you can talk about the discussions?
Iraj Elahi-Iranian Ambassador to India: Iran and Saudi Arabia, like other Muslim countries, have already announced their staunch support for Palestine cause. However, they decided to engage in dialogue to better understand each other's viewpoints and assessments regarding recent developments, with the aim of reaching a more common understanding. During the conversation, both sides emphasized the necessity of ending hostilities against innocent people and the crucial need for unity within the Muslim world in opposition to the criminal acts of Apartheid regime.
ANI: Iran is known to be one of Hamas's biggest benefactors, contributing funds, weapons, and training. What will you say on that?
Iraj Elahi-Iranian Ambassador to India: The Palestinians have independently embraced the path of truth, and they have become an inspiration for everyone resisting oppression. We admire the Palestinians; our hearts are with them and we support their legitimate resistance against the apartheid regime.
ANI: What about the peace in the West Asia region and Middle East region? We have seen massive changes there. Like Abraham accords. Do you think that all is going to square 1 and this will have a fallout on the whole of the region and the world?
Iraj Elahi-Iranian Ambassador to India: Zionist extremism is the primary cause of instability in the region. As long as the basic rights of Palestinians are denied, no external solution can achieve stability. In other words, any plan that doesn't address the root causes of the conflict is destined to fail. The wounds of Palestine continue to bleed, affecting the entirety of West Asia. I believe that stability is unattainable without recognizing the rights of Palestinians. External solutions proposed by outsiders may only destabilize the region and worsen the overall situation.
ANI: UK Foreign Secretary and US Secretary of State are in Israel. President Biden said that his administration has warned Iran not to escalate the conflict between Tehran's proxy Hamas and Israel. your comment?
Iraj Elahi-Iranian Ambassador to India: As we said Iran played no role in the recent developments. It was the inevitable and foreseeable response of the Palestinians to the continuous oppression by the apartheid regime. Western media tries to attribute this to external factors, especially Iran, to hide the role of Zionist regime as the primary cause of the conflict. Furthermore, the US and its allies are deeply concerned about the emergence of new conflict fronts, as they recognize the vulnerabilities of the Zionist regime. (ANI)