US Secretary of State: There is a 'Long Relationship' Between the Islamic Republic and Hamas

Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, in an interview with ABC News, stated that Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Islamic Republic of Iran oppose efforts to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and more broadly, the normalization of relations between Israel and countries in the region and beyond. He claimed that Hamas's attack on Israel was designed to divert these efforts. Mr. Blinken emphasized that the current focus is on responding to the Hamas attack and countering Hamas. He noted that President Joe Biden has sent a very clear message that no one should exploit these attacks elsewhere. Mr. Blinken described Hamas's path as 'terrorism' and creating 'fear,' which offers nothing to people across the region and Palestinians. He stated, 'On the contrary, everything Hamas does worsens their dire situation and conditions. They (Hamas) bring nothing but death and destruction, not only for Israelis but for Palestinians as well.' The US Secretary of State mentioned a 'long relationship' between the Islamic Republic and Hamas, asserting that 'in fact, Hamas cannot remain Hamas without the support it has received from Iran over the years.' Mr. Blinken said, 'We have not yet seen direct evidence of Iran's involvement in this specific attack, but the support (of the Islamic Republic for Hamas) has been clear for many years. This is one of the reasons we have been working decisively against Iran's support for terrorism and destabilizing actions in other countries over the past few years. We have sanctioned over 400 Iranian individuals and entities precisely because of the type of support they have provided to Hamas in the past. This is something we are very vigilant about.' In response to criticism from some Republicans who claim that funds related to the prisoner exchange agreement with the Islamic Republic were used for Hamas's attack on Israel, he said, 'I can say that it is unfortunate that some are actually saying things that may have political motivations, at a time when many lives have been lost and Israel is still under attack.' The US Secretary of State emphasized that under that agreement, only blocked funds from a bank in South Korea were transferred to other banks, and the Islamic Republic could have previously used those same resources in South Korea under conditions set by the US. Mr. Blinken stated that the funds 'included Iranian resources, not American taxpayer dollars. These were resources that Iran obtained from its oil sales that were blocked in the bank, in this case, in South Korea. They have always had the right to use these funds based on our laws and under our sanctions for humanitarian purposes, and the funds were transferred from one bank to another to facilitate this.' He added, 'As of today, not a single dollar from that account has been spent. And regarding any (expenses), the US Treasury Department closely regulates the spending of that money to ensure that it is only used for food, medicine, and medical equipment. Therefore, those who promote this incorrect narrative either have incorrect information or are providing false information. In any case, it is wrong.' Mr. Blinken described the Hamas attack as the worst attack on Israel since 1973 and the Yom Kippur War, stating that the 'fundamental difference' between this attack and the Yom Kippur War is that at that time it was a war between armies, but now 'this is a major terrorist attack targeting Israeli civilians in their cities, in their places, and as we have seen in disturbing images, literally dragging people, including a Holocaust survivor in a wheelchair, and women and children across the Gaza border. So, you can imagine what effect this has across Israel. And the world must express its disgust at what it sees.' He mentioned that he has spoken with the President of Israel and the Foreign Minister, and the entire US government is engaged in efforts to support Israel and ensure that every country uses any tools and influence it has to push back against Hamas. He stated that the US wants to ensure 'that we do not witness conflict in other areas.' He noted that intense fighting around Gaza continues, and about a thousand Hamas militants infiltrated Israel in the recent attack. He said it appears that most of them have either been killed or returned to Gaza, but intense fighting continues.