Palestinian Prime Minister Meets the Leader
The visiting Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and his accompanying delegation met the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei on Sunday, December 10.
Speaking at the meeting, which was also attended by the Iranian First Vice-President Parviz Davoudi, the Leader referred to the attempts made over the past sixty years to make the issue of Palestine fall into oblivion and obliterate the authentic name of that Islamic land.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted that all these attempts have proved to be futile, which he described as a sign of divine favor. "Through struggle and resistance, the return of the Palestinian land in its entirety to the Palestinian people and the establishment of a Palestinian government there will become possible, and this will surely materialize," he added.
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic hinted at the fact that during the first decades after the occupation of Palestine, the Palestinian Muslims lived under very difficult circumstances and received no support from Arab countries, and that serious attempts were made to integrate the Palestinian nation into other nations.
"Despite all such attempts, today, some 60 years after the occupation of Palestine, the motivation and indigenous identity among the Palestinian people are stronger than ever. Besides, a Palestinian government has taken office which is persevering in its stances, and which is making increasing progress," the Leader observed.
Referring to the divine promise of victory, Ayatollah Khamenei further stated, "The Palestinian nation is making headway every day, and I am sure that one day the land will be administered by the Palestinians themselves."
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader stated that the progress of the Palestinian people and their remarkable achievements in the face of all the hardships and pressures are the outcome of their resistance and struggle.
"The Palestinian government, in view of the principles that it has announced and on which it is insisting, is fully supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran," the Leader pointed out.
Ayatollah Khamenei described as exemplary the resistance of the Palestinian nation. "The Palestinian nation and government, having such morale and attitude, will surely achieve victory, about which there is no doubt whatsoever," he noted.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, for his part, expressed great pleasure over his meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei, and he referred to the Islamic Republic of Iran as the real supporter of the Palestinian people and the main advocate of the liberation of the Holy Quds.
The Palestinian prime minister further hinted at the role of the late Imam Khomeini in giving an impetus to the cause of Palestine in the Islamic world, especially by designating the last Friday in the holy month of Ramazan as the International Day of Quds.
"You are also continuing the same path that was initiated by Imam Khomeini, since you have always supported the Palestinian people, and I hope that we will meet each other at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the near future," the Palestinian prime minister told the Leader.
Prime Minister Haniyeh said that the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran was instrumental in giving rise to the Islamic awakening, especially in Palestine, an awakening which was followed by the first Intifada.
"The young generation that is standing up to the Zionists and which has given rise to the first and the second Intifada comprises highly motivated youngsters, and this generation will liberate Palestine," he added.
The Palestinian prime minister further said that the issue of Palestine is an Islamic issue, and that Palestine is an Islamic land. He emphasized that no individual or government in Palestine has the right to forego even a single inch of the Palestinian land.
In conclusion, Prime Minister Haniyeh stressed that the incumbent Palestinian government would never recognize the Zionist regime. He said that all the Palestinians have opted for resistance, which is the only path to the liberation of Palestine.
Seal of the U.S. State Department.
In the latest report published by the United States State Department, it accuses Iran of being the top state sponsor of terrorism.  The report contrasts Al-Qaeda's interest in "global jihad" against the interests which Iran is said to be sponsoring.  Iran's focus is explained as Israel, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

The report describes Iran's interest in Israel as, "encouraging anti-Israeli terrorist activity, rhetorically, operationally, and financially."  Supreme Leader Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are accused of lauding terrorist attacks carried out by anti-Zionist groups.  The report notes that Iran's support for organisations involved in the Israel-Palestine conflict is not limited to Shia groups such as Hezbollah;  Hamas and others are, like most Palestinians, Sunni muslims.

Second, Iran is accused of playing a "destabilizing role in Iraq."  In particular, Iran's providing of IED to rejectionist groups in Iraq were mentioned in the State Department report.  The report also indicates that Iraq is "not currently a terrorist safe haven" but can become a "potential safe haven" for them.  Iranian officials deny that they are supplying weapons to Iraqi insurgent groups.

Third, Iran is said have aided the Taliban militarily according to General Peter Pace and other U.S. officials.  In Afghanistan, Iran gainsays a military role; it only acknowledges that it has helped with the reconstruction and revival of the Afghan economy.  

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards and Iran's intelligence ministry were specifically named in the coordination of the activities of the Iranian government abroad.

This statements of this State Department report are not novel.  In fact, in 2006, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said, "The Iranian regime is today the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism."

Many Iranian officials accuse the United States of terrorism and a raft of crimes in return and "Death to America" chants are a regular scene at Friday prayers throughout Iran.  

Ayatollah Ebrahim Amini, the 2nd deputy chair of the Assembly of Experts has, for instance, said,

Other countries on the state sponsors of terrorism list were Cuba, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria.