Hamas leader in Tehran to congratulate Iran's new president

Newly sworn-in Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi received a Hamas delegation on Friday headed by the group's leader, Ismail Haniyeh, who congratulated him on his presidency.

The two sides discussed the latest developments in Palestine, Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip in May and its effects on the Palestinian cause.

Haniyeh, who was recently re-elected as the group's leader, spoke of Israel's settlement expansion plans, especially in Jerusalem and the city's Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, as well as the ongoing siege on the Gaza Strip.

For his part, hardliner Raisi – who was declared the winner in the June presidential race – affirmed Iran's position in continuing to support the Palestinian people.

More than 240 people were killed in Israel's 11-day bombardment of Gaza in May, including at least 65 children, while Hamas rocket fire killed at least 13 Israelis.

Hamas had fired missiles into Israel in retaliation to Tel Aviv's repeated attacks against Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank, where it has expelled a number of Palestinian families or demolished their homes to make way for Jewish-Israeli settlers and new settlements deemed illegal under international law.