Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad mourn deaths in IranBEIRUT — Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, both combatants against Israeli forces in the ongoing war in Gaza and both of which have received military support from Tehran, issued statements Monday mourning the deaths of Iran’s president and foreign minister. Hamas said the helicopter crash had “claimed the lives of a group of the best Iranian leaders,” praising their “honorable positions in support of our Palestinian cause, and support for the legitimate struggle of our people against the Zionist entity,” referring to Israel. “We are confident that the Islamic Republic of Iran will be able — God willing — to overcome the repercussions of this great loss. The dear Iranian people have ancient institutions capable of dealing with this severe ordeal,” the statement said. The Islamic Jihad, similarly, called the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian “a great loss for the Palestinian people in these difficult circumstances, as they had a prominent and clear role in supporting and assisting the Palestinian people’s struggle and resistance.”It was not immediately clear what impact, if any, Raisi’s death would have on Iran’s involvement in the ongoing regional conflict.
