Iran: Al-Aqsa Storm Palestinians’ natural reaction to 75 years of Israeli occupation

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani has said that the large-scale anti-Israeli operation launched by the Gaza Strip-based Palestinian resistance movements was a natural reaction by Palestinians in the face of continued Israeli occupation.

During a press briefing at the Iranian embassy in the Thai capital city of Bangkok on Sunday, Bagheri Kani told reporters that Operation Al-Aqsa Strom, carried out by Hamas on October 7, was a “legitimate reaction” to Israel’s violence against Palestinians.  

“The crisis in the occupied [Palestinian] territories did not erupt as the result of the developments that took place on October 7. The operation launched by Hamas was the Palestinians’ natural and legitimate reaction to the 75-years-long occupation of their land by the Zionist regime,” he said.

He also voiced concern about the fate of foreign captives, especially Thai citizens, held in Gaza following the Hamas operation. 

According to Bagheri Kani the issue of Thai prisoners was seriously pursued by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian during his recent trips to Lebanon and Qatar and meetings with senior representatives of Palestinian resistance groups there.