Hamas Tries to Add Gaza to Iran-US Talks After Lebanese Ceasefire Example

Hamas held a phone call this week with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as part of an apparent effort to make Gaza part of the Iran-US negotiations. The call, reported on Tuesday, took place between Araghchi and Basem Naim, Hamas deputy head of Arab and Islamic relations, while talks were underway that also included understandings on the Lebanon ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.

According to Hamas, the two discussed the latest developments in the Iran-US talks and the Palestinian issue, especially the situation in Gaza. Naim praised Iran’s position on the Palestinian cause and its continued support for Gaza. On Wednesday, Iran’s Tasnim news agency quoted Araghchi as telling Naim that “the Iranian team will raise the Palestinian issue within the ongoing negotiations,” and that it would also raise “Israel’s continued aggression” in all international forums.

The Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat said this was the second Hamas-Iran call in June. On June 4, Araghchi spoke with Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’ leader in Gaza and head of its negotiating delegation, but then there was no explicit indication that Gaza had been inserted into the Iran-US channel. That earlier statement only said al-Hayya praised the Iranian delegation’s stance, which emphasized the need to stop fighting simultaneously on all regional fronts.

Two senior Hamas sources outside the Palestinian territories told the paper that the call with Naim was part of ongoing contact with various parties in an effort to закреп the ceasefire in Gaza. One said it was not a substitute for negotiations through the main mediators, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. Another source said Hamas hopes Iran will press in the current talks to put Gaza on the agenda, as happened in Lebanon, where Iran helped achieve a ceasefire. Both said the Lebanon developments were seen in Hamas as positive and encouraged the group to try to use the opportunity.