Ramallah – Hamas has agreed with Tehran to “open a new chapter in bilateral relations to confront common threats,” according to a statement issued by the movement on Monday.

A delegation from Hamas, which arrived in Iran last week to participate in the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, met on Monday with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran.

The delegation was headed by a member of the Political Bureau, Izzat al-Rishq, in addition to Osama Hamdan, Saleh al-Arori and Zaher Jabarin.

The Iranian foreign minister underlined “the importance of the Palestinian case in Iran’s foreign policy and the need to promote relationship with the Palestinian resistance factions led by the Islamic Resistance Movement.”

He added: “Iran’s stance on Palestine was enduring and unalterable.”

Rishq said he valued Iran’s support to the Palestinian people.

“Hamas’ relationship with the Islamic Republic comes in the context of the importance attached by the movement to communicate with the components of the Islamic nation, for the sake of the Palestinian cause,” the head of the delegation said.

“Hamas believes in the need to unite the Islamic world, reject differences and unify efforts to face the common enemy of all that is the occupation,” he added.

The two sides also stressed the “opening of a new page in bilateral relations in order to confront the common enemy and support Palestine, al-Aqsa and the resistance.”

Well-informed sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that the delegation has earlier met with a number of officials from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

Some members of the delegation, who represent the armed wing of Hamas, met with IRGC senior officials to discuss issues of common interest, the sources added.

The delegation on Monday held talks with the adviser of the Iranian spiritual leader for international affairs, Ali Akbar Velayati, who stressed Tehran’s support to Hamas.

Another meeting was held between Hamas officials and the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Ali Larijani, who informed the delegation that the “doors of Iran are open” to them.

“Hamas is widely accepted at the level of the Islamic nation, and can play positive roles in the unification of Muslims,” Larijani was quoted by local media as saying.