Iran’s former foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, claims the popularity of Iran's Palestinian proxy, Hamas, has “greatly increased” in the wake of the atrocities of October 7.

“Despite all the damage inflicted on the Palestinians, Israel has failed to revive the myth of its invincibility,” Iran’s former foreign minister said of the attacks which saw 1,200 mostly civilians murdered in a single day by the Gazan militia and over 250 taken hostage.

Iran continues to deny its hand in the invasion which saw thousands of Hamas militia infiltrate Israel by air, land and sea, however, Tehran continues its very public, high level engagement with Palestinian militant groups, such as Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, which it has for years funded, armed and trained.

Last month, Ali-Akbar Salehi, Iran’s former foreign minister and the former head of the country’s nuclear agency, stressed that Tehran will “never” recognize Israel “even if a Palestinian state is established.”

“As long as the [Israeli] entity exists and is active in our region, the crisis will remain between Iran and the regime that is occupying Jerusalem, even if a Palestinian state is established. I am referring to the proposed two-state solution,” Salehi pointed out.

In 2015, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Israel must be destroyed in 25 years and the government even set up a countdown clock in Tehran and other Iranian cities.