Hamas Calls on Iran to Stop Striking Neighboring Countries

Gaza (TDI): Hamas has publicly urged Iran to stop targeting neighboring countries while reiterating Tehran’s right to defend itself against Israel and the United States, in a rare statement aimed at curbing regional escalation.

The Palestinian group also called on the international community to work toward ending the Middle East war, which erupted on February 28. “While affirming the right of the Islamic Republic of Iran to respond to this aggression by all available means in accordance with international norms and laws, the movement calls on the brothers in Iran to avoid targeting neighboring countries,” Hamas said, marking its first public appeal of this kind to Tehran.

Hamas, which endured a brutal two-year conflict with Israel in Gaza, stressed that the war should be halted immediately, appealing for urgent international intervention. Earlier, the group condemned the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, labeling it a “heinous crime” and acknowledging his long-term support for the Palestinian cause. “He provided all forms of political, diplomatic, and military support to our people, our cause, and our resistance,” the group stated at the time.

Since Khamenei’s death, Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against at least ten countries, prompting Qatar to report the interception of two missiles over its capital, Doha, and order evacuations in affected areas.

Hamas’s appeal comes as its ally Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group, has intensified its involvement, firing hundreds of rockets at Israel. Israeli strikes in Lebanon since the outbreak of the war have reportedly killed nearly 800 people.

The request is notable because Iran has long been a major backer of Hamas, reportedly providing tens of millions of dollars annually. Support for Palestinian groups like Hamas has been central to Tehran’s regional strategy under the late Khamenei.