January 31, 2006	Tuesday	Muharram 1, 1427

TEHRAN, Jan 30: Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday telephoned Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal to congratulate him for the radical movement’s win in Palestinian general elections, official media said.

“The realisation of the great goal of freedom of all occupied lands requires Islamic nations, especially the Palestinians, to be alert and prepared,” the Iranian president was quoted as telling the Syrian-based militant chief.

Iran considers occupied lands to include the entire state of Israel, and not just territory taken by the Jewish state after 1967.

“The Iranian people will always stand by their Palestinian brothers,” Ahmadinejad was also quoted as saying.

For his part, Mashaal reportedly thanked the Islamic republic for its support and voiced hope that the Palestinians will host their Iranian brothers in Qods (Jerusalem) in the near future.”

Although Iran is a vocal supporter of Hamas, Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad and the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah, the regime denies allegations it finances these groups.

But they are close allies, and in December declared that they represented a “united front” against Israel. Meshaal also said during a visit to Tehran that his group would step up attacks against Israel if the Jewish state takes military action against Iran over its disputed nuclear programme.

Like Hamas, Iran refuses to recognise Israel and opposes the peace process.—AFP