Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei receives Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Meshaal in Tehran on Tuesday.

Compiled by Davood Baqeri

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the Zionist enemy is currently in its weakest position.
In a meeting with the visiting Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Meshaal in Tehran on Tuesday, Ayatollah Khamenei hailed the resistance of the Palestinian people and Hamas against the constant pressures and crimes of the Zionist regime, IRIB reported.
“The regime, which claimed to be invincible, is unable to confront the patient and resistant people of Palestine, who rely on the grace of God Almighty.
Resistance, coupled with faith, is the only path for liberating Palestine,“ he said. The leader praised the courageous stance of Hamas officials and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya and expressed his deep regret over the ongoing situation of the Palestinian people, particularly the blockade of Gaza Strip and the daily killing of innocent women and children.
Meshaal said the people of Gaza are suffering from a disastrous situation and added that despite all the pressures, the Palestinian people would never stop their resistance nor will they hesitate for a moment in supporting the democratic government of Hamas.
“The firm determination of the Palestinian nation has strengthened the resistance movement,“ he said.
Delivering a speech in Tehran University on Monday, Meshaal said the cessation of Israeli aggression against Gaza, ending the siege of Gaza and reopening of roadblocks are preconditions for a ceasefire with Israel.
In a meeting with Meshaal, State Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said resistance is the Palestinians’ only option to claim their trampled rights.
Rafsanjani referred to the flagrant violation of human rights in Palestine and the continued blockade of the Gaza Strip, noting that the Zionist regime and its masters are not willing to recognize the rights of Palestinians, which is why they are hatching new plots against the Palestinian nation every day.
The Zionist regime started blocking the regular crossings of people and goods since June 2007. The people of Gaza have been facing a grave humanitarian crisis ever since.
Meshaal briefed the Iranian authority on the latest developments in the occupied lands.
The Hamas official commended the Islamic Republic’s wide support for the Palestinian resistance.
Meshaal arrived in Tehran on Saturday and met with senior Iranian officials, including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed ElBaradei in a report released late Monday said the Agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran.
The report, which was submitted to the 35 member-states of the IAEA Board of Governors, said Iran has provided the Agency with access to declared nuclear material and provided accountancy reports as well, IRNA reported.
The report says Iran has agreed to address the alleged studies. It, however, maintains that all the allegations are baseless and the data have been fabricated.
“The Agency’s overall assessment of the nature of Iran’s nuclear program also requires, inter alia, an understanding of the role of the uranium metal document, and clarification by Iran concerning some procurement activities of military related institutions which remain outstanding,“ he said.
The report says that contrary to the decisions of the UN Security Council, Iran has not suspended its enrichment activities. The director general has urged Iran to implement all measures required to build confidence in the peaceful nature of its program, including the Additional Protocol.
On February 22, Iran got a clean health bill after it responded to all outstanding issues in line with the Modality Plan signed between the two parties on August 21, 2007.
Though Tehran had presented its early assessment of the alleged studies and it was reflected in the IAEA report of February 22, 2008, certain countries, especially the US, raised other claims against Iran’s nuclear program and the Agency also demanded new meetings on the subject.
Despite considering the modality being closed, Tehran announced its readiness to hold three rounds of technical talks with the IAEA officials in May. That’s a clear indication of the transparency of Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and a proof of Tehran’s goodwill. Though political talks with the G5+1 have stopped due to their unacceptable approach, the Islamic Republic has presented a set of proposals in the framework of a package to help resolve the political, security, economic and nuclear problems. The package consists of proposals to international institutions, influential powers and the countries that are ready for talks.

Walid Jumblatt, the leader of Lebanon’s Progressive Socialist Party, has apologized for the statements he had made earlier against Iran.
Jumblatt apologized to Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki at a Sunday night dinner held in honor of the newly elected Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, wrote Al-Akhbar daily.
In a previous statement, the Druze politician had called for the expulsion of the Iranian ambassador from Lebanon.
Mottaki visited Beirut on Sunday to attend a parliamentary session, which elected Michel Suleiman as the country’s new president, ending an 18-month crisis.