Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has received a high-ranking delegation from the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Leading members of the Hamas politburo met with Khamenei in Tehran, his office said on Saturday.
Pictures showed the high-ranking Hamas functionary Khalil al-Hayya in attendance.
The Iranian leadership supports Hamas politically and militarily, although it distanced itself from the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza.
Israel has been Iran’s arch-enemy since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
Khamenei is Iran’s political and spiritual leader and has the final say on all strategic issues.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (R) speaks during a meeting with the high-ranking Hamas delegation in Tehran. -/Iranian Supreme Leader’s Office/dpa