Iran says it gave missile technology to Hamas

August 05, 2014 03:38

Hamas is able to fire missiles into Israel because Tehran provided weapons technology to the militant group to defend itself against Israeli attacks, a senior Iranian official said today.

The Secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council, Mohsen Rezaei, was quoted by Al-Alam, the Arabic channel of Iran's state TV, as also saying Hamas should also dig tunnels to be used as shelter to protect Gaza's population from Israeli assaults.

"Palestinian resistance missiles are the blessings of Iran's transfer of technology. We need to transfer defensive and military technology to Palestinians so that they can build weapons under the blockade and defend themselves," Rezaei said.

Rezaei, a former chief commander of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard, also urged Hamas to capture Israeli soldiers to use them as bargaining chips in its battle against Israel.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, who has the final say on all state matters in Iran, called on Muslims from around the world last week to help arm Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza to defend themselves against Israel.

Iran, a Hamas backer, does not recognize Israel and supports militant anti-Israeli groups such as the Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah group.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Kerala woman cadet onboard ship seized by Iran returns home

At the airport, Joseph was received by the regional passport officer.

SC sets aside T'gana HC order declaring 106 acre of forest land as private

The humans have "selective amnesia" about the significance of forests, the Supreme Court said on Thursday while advocating the need for a change in approach towards natural resources from anthropocentric to ecocentric.

'Sun will rise tomorrow!' Curran vows PBKS' turnaround

Stand-in captain Sam Curran lauded the efforts of Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh, who displayed remarkable composure in a high-pressure chase.

Hardik admits MI nerves 'tested' in thrilling win

The MI skipper was full of praise for Ashutosh's whirlwind knock, which kept PBKS in the hunt till the end.

Shooters surveyed Salman's Panvel farmhouse before Bandra house attack

Two men arrested for firing outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's residence in Mumbai had conducted a survey of his farm house at Panvel in adjoining Raigad district four days before the shooting incident, police said on Thursday.