Iran not blocking Palestinian reconciliation, Tehran says
Tehran rejects Abbas' claim that Iran is interfering in reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas.
By DPA Tags: Iran Hamas Israel news FatahTehran said Tuesday that it has not intervened to block reconciliation between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas, rejecting accusations made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a Fatah member.
"Such remarks are just aimed at covering the failure of the plan for reconciliation," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters in Tehran.
Abbas on Saturday accused Tehran's leadership of not wanting Hamas to sign an Egyptian-brokered reconciliation plan. Abbas added that the Palestinians should be "freed from Iranian tutelage."
Mehmanparast said such reconciliation plans were unlikely to succeed, not because of any Iranian involvement, but "because they do not refer to the roots of the Palestinian problems."
"All Iran seeks is unity among Palestinian groups for gaining their legitimate rights from the Zionists," the spokesman added in a reference to Israel.
Iran is a fierce supporter of Hamas and does not acknowledge Israel as a sovereign state.
Previous reconciliation talks between Fatah and Hamas have broken down over, among other issues, setting the date for new elections. The latest Egyptian-brokered plan foresees elections for June.
Hamas gained control of the Gaza Strip after a bloody conflict with Fatah in June 2007, in effect setting up two seats of power for the Palestinians, with Abbas' Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
But the international community only recognizes the Palestinian Authority as representing all of the Palestinian areas.
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Iran is ruled by the Shia equivalent of Salafis (subsect of Sunnis aka "Wahhabi" to which belong degenerate Saudi royal-family, Al-qaeda, and much of Taliban and affiliates). As Salafis vitriolically hate Shias (and this can be seen in Saudi law, where Shias are not allowed to construct mosques), Iranian Shias vitriolically hate Sunnis. Thumping majority of "Palestinians" (including cent-percent of Hamas) are Sunnis, exactly as David (of MI) has stated (most of the remainder are Maronites or other nominal Christians--not exactly in favour with Shias either). Iran doesn't care whether the factions reconcile--it wants to eliminate them, whether separately or as unit.
Everybody knows that the Cairo talks failed because the US was pushing hard on Abbas not to sign any deal with Hamas. Abu Mazen moaning about Iran's tutelage over the Palestinians is dishonest at best.
"All Iran seeks is unity among Palestinian groups for gaining their legitimate rights from the Zionists," say the Iranians. Who the hell are the Iranians to dictate to the Palestinians what their "legitimate rights" are? The Palestinians can work this out for themselves. Let the Palestinians themselves resolve any internal disagreements without any one or more factions being used as pawns by the Iranian mullocracy in their ruthless quest for regional hegemony.
He wants Hamas to not be under the influence of Iran while Abbas is under the tutelage of a non-muslim state - that supports Israel.
"Abbas on Saturday accused Tehran's leadership of not wanting the Shi'ite Hamas to sign an Egyptian-brokered reconciliation plan" Since when is Hamas Shi'ite??? Hamas does not seek support from Iran because of some "Shi'ite" ideology or "Islamic" fundamentalisim as most Western "experts" assert over and over. On the contrary, Hamas' struggle with Israel is nationalistic. You don't see official Hamas policy targeting Christian citizens of Palestine do you?? Nor does Iran fund organizations follow such hardline exterme positions such as Al-Qaeda....
hamas is not shite it is sunni , Muslim Brotherhood armed wing.
"Abbas on Saturday accused Tehran's leadership of not wanting the Shi'ite Hamas to sign an Egyptian-brokered reconciliation plan." Is this some kind of sectarian conspiracy theory from Abbas or just mistake from Ha'aretz? Hamas (unless they're Shi'ites in disguise) are Sunnis, like practically all Palestinian Muslims.