Masoud Pezeshkian, who is expected to become Iran’s president in the next few weeks, has written to Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh to reassure that his administration will continue to support the Palestinian cause, Al Jazeera reports.

The moderate president-elect wrote in his letter he considers support for the Palestinian people and standing up to Israeli occupation and its system of apartheid a “human and Islamic duty”.

Pezeshkian promised he would “continue all-encompassing support for the wronged Palestinian people until the realisation of all their goals and rights, and the liberation of the honourable Quds”, referring to the Arabic name for Jerusalem.

“I am confident that in the shadow of the historic steadfastness of the resistant Palestinian nation and the wronged but strong Gaza and the heroic endeavours of Palestinian resistance fighters in the current war, victory and divine favour will be achieved by dear Palestine.”