Khamenei hails Gaza ceasefire as 'victory' for Palestinians
Iran on Thursday welcomed a ceasefire and hostage-release deal between Hamas and Israel as a "victory" for Palestinians and a "defeat" for Israel.
The long-awaited agreement, announced late Wednesday by Qatar and the United States, would take effect on Sunday and involve the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, after which the terms of a broader peace deal would be finalized.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hailed Palestinian "resistance" after the truce announcement to halt more than 15 months of fighting, saying "the patience of the people of Gaza and the steadfastness of the Palestinian resistance forced the Zionist regime to retreat."
He added that Israel was "defeated" after committing "the most heinous crimes, killing thousands of women and children" during its military campaign in Gaza.
Iran's foreign ministry called for the "full implementation of the agreed arrangements including the complete cessation of genocide and killings in Gaza, the complete withdrawal of the occupiers, the immediate and extended aid delivery to the Gaza Strip."
It also urged "the immediate start of the reconstruction" of Gaza.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps similarly praised the ceasefire agreement as a win for the Palestinians.
"The end of the war and the imposition of a ceasefire... is a clear victory and a great victory for Palestine, as well as a larger defeat for the monstrous Zionist regime," the IRGC statement said.
Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, also welcomed the truce, stating that it caused the "Zionist regime to fail in achieving its strategic goals."
He called for actions to "punish the criminal regime and heal the wounds of the Palestinian nation.".
Iran does not recognize Israel and the two countries have been sworn enemies for decades.
The Gaza war, which broke out in October 2023, drew in Tehran-aligned militants in the Middle East, and included rare direct attacks between Iran and Israel.
Source: Associated Press
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