Hamas, a Palestinian Islamic terrorist organization, has confirmed receiving support from the Islamic Republic of Iran for its recent attacks on Israel. While the spokesperson for Hamas did not disclose the identities of other supporters, they acknowledged Iran's involvement. These attacks resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Israelis and left thousands wounded. Images posted online showed people in Iran celebrating the attacks by shooting off fireworks, waving flags, and cheering.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani commented on the attacks, stating that they aligned with the ongoing victories of the anti-Zionist resistance in various regions, including Syria, Lebanon, and occupied lands. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei echoed this sentiment on social media, expressing his desire for the eradication of what he referred to as the "usurper Zionist regime."
Yahya Rahim Safavi, a top military adviser to Khamenei, also offered his congratulations to the Palestinian fighters and pledged Iran's support until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem.
Over the past few decades, Iran has provided billions of dollars to Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups, supplying them with weapons, funding, and training for attacks against Israel. The Biden administration has faced criticism from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a nonprofit focused on national security and foreign policy, who claim that their policies have strengthened and emboldened the Iranian regime.
The Biden administration has relaxed sanctions on Iran as part of their efforts to negotiate a nuclear deal, which has not yet materialized. As a result, Iran has been able to sell millions of barrels of oil per day. In July, President Biden authorized a $10 billion transfer from Iraq to Iran, and in August, he approved the unfreezing of $6 billion in Iranian oil revenues.
While defenders of the Biden administration argue that the funds provided to Iran did not support terrorism, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi contradicted this claim, asserting Iran's authority to decide how the funds would be spent.