Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Monday mourned the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Rahisi, stating that he had supported the Palestinian people during the ongoing conflict with Israel.
Raisi, a hardlier widely considered a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died in a helicopter crash on Sunday in mountainous region near the Azerbaijan border, officials and state media reported on Monday.
The burned wreckage of the helicopter, which was carrying Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, was found early on Monday after an overnigt search in a blizzard.
“These leaders supported the legitimate struggle of our people against the Zionist entity, provided valued support to the Palestinian resistance, and made tireless efforts in solidarity and support in all forums and fields for our people in the steadfast Gaza Strip during the Battle of Al-Aqsa Flood,” referring to the war with Israel which began on October 7.
“They also made significant political and diplomatic efforts to stop the Zionist aggression against our Palestinian people,” Hamas said in a statement.
In a separate statement, the Islamist Jihad group, fighting alongside Hamas in Gaza, said that Raisi and Amirabdollahian “played a prominent and clear role in supporting and assisting the struggle of the Palestinian people and its resistance against the ongoing criminal Zionist aggression.”
“We are confident that the Islamic Republic of Iran can overcome this painful ordeal, as it has overcome all difficulties and challenges throughout its extended journey over the past decades,” the group added.
Hamad and Islamic Jihad leaders have consistently expressed appreciation to Iran for its long-standing military and financial support in their decades-long conflict against Israel.
Iran’s support has been a source of controversy among Palestinians. Some view Iran as a key alley in their fight against Israel, particularly in the absence of military support from Sunni Muslim regimes. However, other accuse Iran of meddling in Palestinian affairs to further its own agenda.
