Main events of the past week

• The fourth week of Ramadan was also marked by a relatively high number of attacks, mainly in Iraq and Africa.
• Syria: An IED was activated against a Syrian army ATV in the desert region (Al-Badia). The vehicle was destroyed and the passengers were killed or wounded. ISIS’s activity against the Kurdish SDF forces continued in the Deir ez-Zor-Al-Mayadeen region and in the Al-Raqqah region, where there was an increase in activity this week. Southern Syria: ISIS continued its activity against the Syrian army. This week, a soldier was targeted by gunfire in Naba al-Fawar, west of Daraa. He was killed.
• Iraq: The week, ISIS concentrated its activity mainly in the Kirkuk Province, where its operatives carried out several attacks against camps of the Iraqi security forces. ISIS operatives also blew up two oil wells in the area of Bai Hassan, northwest of Kirkuk, as part of the its so-called economic war.
• Africa: There appears to have been a slight decrease in ISIS’s activity this week. In Nigeria, ISIS operatives attacked an army post in the northeast of the country. Eight soldiers were killed in the exchange of fire. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ISIS operatives attacked two army camps in the Beni region.
• Afghanistan: This week, for the first time, ISIS carried out activity against infrastructure in the country, as part of what it calls its economic war. As part of their activity, ISIS’s operatives attacked high-voltage pylons and several tankers. It appears that in addition to targeting the Afghan security forces, ISIS is interested in stepping up its economic terrorism in the country.
• Germany has outlawed several Islamic organizations affiliated with Al-Qaeda in Somalia and Syria. Following the decision, German security forces raided dozens of targets affiliated with Al-Qaeda and its affiliates in the cities of Düsseldorf, Berlin and Hamburg (DW, May 5, 2021; Reuters, May 5, 2021).
• A UN report released on May 6, 2021, indicates that ISIS operatives made use of chemical and biological weapons in Iraq.

The Syrian arena

The Idlib region

• During the week, exchanges of artillery fire continued almost daily between the Syrian army and the forces supporting it, and the rebel forces. On May 7, 2021, an HTS force penetrated into the area south of the rebel enclave, where there were Russian soldiers. Five Russian soldiers were reportedly killed. An HTS operative was also killed and two others were wounded (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, May 6-9, 2021).

The desert region (Al-Badia)

• On May 10, 2021, at least seven Syrian soldiers and members of the forces supporting them were killed and 18 were wounded by the explosion of mines planted by ISIS east of Al-Sukhnah, about 120 km southwest of Deir ez-Zor (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, May 10, 2021).
• On May 4, 2021, an IED was activated against a Syrian army vehicle in the Al-Sukhnah Desert, about 100 km southwest of Deir ez-Zor. The vehicle was destroyed and the passengers on board were killed or wounded.

The Deir ez-Zor-Al-Mayadeen region

• ISIS continued its attacks against the Kurdish SDF forces operating in the area. The following are details about some of the attacks according to ISIS’s claims of responsibility:
  • On May 10, 2021, an IED was activated against an SDF building in the Basira region, about 15 km north of Al-Mayadeen. It was destroyed.
  • On May 10, 2021, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle in Shahil, about 10 km north of Al-Mayadeen. The passengers were killed or wounded.
  • On May 10, 2021, an SDF fighter was targeted by gunfire in the Sour region, about 50 km northwest of Deir ez-Zor. He was killed.
  • On May 9, 2021, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle about 5 km northeast of Al-Mayadeen. The passengers were killed or wounded.
  • On May 8, 2021, the SDF headquarters in the Sour region, about 50 km northwest of Deir ez-Zor, was targeted by gunfire and sustained damage. An IED was activated against a rescue force arriving on the site. All the passengers of the vehicle were killed or wounded.
  • On May 7, 2021, Ghassan al-Khabl, the commander of a foj (an army unit similar in size to a battalion), was targeted by gunfire while riding his motorcycle in the Diban region, about 3 km east of Al-Mayadeen. He was killed (Telegram, May 7; Zaman Al-Wasl, May 8, 2021).
  • On May 5, 2021, the vehicle of an SDF commander was targeted by gunfire in the Sabha region, about 30 km southeast of Deir ez-Zor. The commander and two of his escorts were wounded.
  • On May 5, 2021, a jailer in the SDF prison in Hajin, about 50 km southeast of Al-Mayadeen, was targeted by gunfire and was wounded. According to other sources, he was an ex-ISIS operative. It was also reported that he had died of his wounds (www.jesrpress.com, May 7, 2021).

The Al-Raqqah region

• On May 9, 2021, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle north of Al-Raqqah. Two of the passengers were killed and others were wounded.
• On May 9, 2021, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle north of Al-Raqqah. Two of the passengers were killed and several others were wounded.
• On May 8, 2021, an SDF vehicle was targeted by gunfire from an ISIS roadblock on a road east of Al-Raqqah. The passengers were wounded.
• On May 5, 2021, a truck carrying several SDF fighters east of Al-Raqqah was targeted by gunfire. Some of the passengers were killed and others were wounded.
• On May 5, 2021, the SDF headquarters in Karamah, east of Al-Raqqah, was targeted by gunfire. Several fighters were wounded.

Southern Syria

• This week as well, ISIS claimed responsibility for attacks carried out against the Syrian army, mainly shooting attacks in the Daraa region. On May 9, 2021, ISIS claimed responsibility for shooting at a Syrian soldier in Naba al-Fawar, west of Daraa. He was killed. ISIS also claimed responsibility for killing a Syrian officer in northern Daraa by machine gun fire on May 10, 2021.

 The Iraqi arena

• This week as well, ISIS operatives carried out many attacks in the various provinces in Iraq. Noteworthy were the Kirkuk and Diyala provinces. The Iraqi security forces continued their counterterrorism measures against ISIS in the various provinces. The following are the attacks, mostly according to ISIS’s claims of responsibility.

Diyala Province

• On May 11, 2021, three Iraqi army camps were targeted by gunfire in the Al-Azim region, about 60 km north of Baqubah. One soldier was killed and four others were wounded. In addition, ISIS downed an Iraqi army drone, and put out two vehicles and a heavy machine gun out of commission.
• On May 11, 2021, a Shiite village west of Khanaqin was targeted by gunfire.
• On May 10, 2021, IEDs were planted near Tribal Mobilization water pumps and generators on the outskirts of the Al-Azim region, about 60 km north of Baqubah.
• On May 8, 2021, an Iraqi soldier was targeted by gunfire north of Al-Miqdadiya, about 40 km northeast of Baqubah. He was wounded.
• On May 8, 2021, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle west of Khanaqin, about 90 km northeast of Baqubah. One soldier was killed and three others, including a foj commander, were wounded.
• On May 8, 2021, a mortar shell was fired at an Iraqi army camp south of Bahraz, about 2 km southeast of Baqubah. A definite hit was identified.
• On May 8, 2021, three mortar shells were fired at Al-Islah, north of the Jalula region, about 75 km northeast of Baqubah. No hits or casualties were reported.
• On May 8, 2021, two Iraqi army vehicles were targeted by gunfire west of Khanaqin. They were both put out of commission. No casualties were reported.
• On May 6, 2021, an Iraqi army commando camp was targeted by gunfire west of Al-Azim, about 60 km north of Baqubah. Three soldiers were killed and two others were wounded. In addition, two vehicles were put out of commission.
• On May 5, 2021, an Iraqi soldier was targeted by gunfire north of Jalula, about 75 km northeast of Baqubah. He was wounded.

Salah al-Din Province

• On May 11, 2021, a Tribal Mobilization camp in the Al-Ghaith region, about 50 km north of Tikrit, was targeted by gunfire. One fighter was wounded.
• On May 9, 2021, two Iraqi government bulldozers were set on fire in the Mashahida region, about 20 km north of Baghdad.

• On May 10, 2021, rockets were fired at an Iraqi police post about 30 km north of Samarra. One policeman was killed. Two days before, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army ATV in the area. The passengers were killed or wounded.
• On May 8, 2021, a camp of Saraya al-Salam (a Popular Mobilization militia headed by Shiite leader Muqtada Sadr) was targeted by gunfire east of Samarra. Three militia fighters were killed. A patrol arriving on the scene was attacked by gunfire. Three vehicles were put out of commission and their passengers were wounded.

Al-Anbar Province

• On May 9, 2021, an IED was activated against a Popular Mobilization vehicle in the Akashat region, near the Iraqi-Syrian border, east of Al-Qaim. The passengers were killed or wounded.
• On May 8, 2021, an intelligence operative was abducted east of Al-Rutba, in western Iraq, and was executed a short while afterwards. On the same day, an Iraqi army camp west of Al-Rutba was targeted by gunfire and caught fire.
• On May 6, 2021, two intelligence personnel were abducted east of Al-Rutba, in western Iraq. They were interrogated and then executed. The ISIS operatives seized an ATV, a rifle and a machine gun.
• On May 5, 2021, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle in Al-Rutba. The vehicle was destroyed and the passengers on board were killed or wounded.

Babel Province

• On May 5, 2021, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle in the Jarf al-Sakhr region, about 40 km south of Baghdad. Two soldiers were killed and two others were wounded.

Nineveh Province

• On May 6, 2021, an IED was activated against Iraqi soldiers in Al-Mawali, west of Mosul. One soldier was killed and several others were wounded.

Kirkuk Province

• On May 10, 2021, an Iraqi police post was targeted by gunfire in the Rashad region, about 40 km southwest of Kirkuk. An IED was also activated against a rescue vehicle arriving on the scene. All the passengers were wounded.
• On May 9, 2021, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle near Al-Tamour, south of Kirkuk. Five soldiers, including an officer, were killed. Before that, an Iraqi soldier at an army camp on the site was targeted by gunfire and killed.
• On May 7, 2021, mortar shells were fired at an Iraqi army headquarters in the Zarka Bridge area, about 90 km northeast of Samarra.
• On May 6, 2021, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle in the southern part of the Daquq region, in southern Kirkuk. The vehicle was destroyed. A day before, an IED was activated against an Iraqi police vehicle in the same area. It was destroyed.
• On May 6, 2021, a Tribal Mobilization camp in the Rashad region, about 40 km southwest of Kirkuk, was targeted by gunfire and rockets. Two Tribal Mobilization fighters were killed.
• On May 5, 2021, mortar shells were fired at camps of the Iraqi army and the Popular Mobilization in Samakah, southeast of Daquq. No hits or casualties were reported.
• On May 5, 2021, a post of the Iraqi police securing oil facilities in the area of Bai Hassan, about 40 km northwest of Kirkuk, was targeted by gunfire. One policeman was killed and another was wounded. In addition, IEDs were activated close to two oil wells, which caught fire.

Diyala Province

• On May 6, 2021, an Iraqi army commando camp was targeted by gunfire west of Al-Azim, about 60 km north of Baqubah. Three soldiers were killed and two others were wounded.
• On May 3, 2021, a Popular Mobilization camp about 40 km southwest of Kirkuk was targeted by gunfire and rockets. Five Popular Mobilization fighters were killed and three others were wounded.
• On May 3, 2021, two Iraqi army camps in Al-Tamour, south of Kirkuk, were targeted by gunfire and rockets. Two soldiers were killed, one of them a second lieutenant, and a third was wounded. The camps sustained damage.

Counterterrorism in Iraq

Al-Anbar Province

• On May 6, 2021, three ISIS commanders were killed in an operation carried out by the Counterterrorism Unit in the Al-Janoub sector (the region of southwestern Iraq). The three commanders had been involved in a suicide bombing attack in Al-Tayaran Square in Baghdad. A sub-sector commander was also arrested in the region (Twitter page of the Iraqi Counterterrorism Unit, May 7, 2021).

Kirkuk Province

• On May 8, 2021, the Iraqi army detained three brothers, all of whom were junior ISIS commanders (Al-Sumaria, May 8, 2021).
• On May 7, 2021, Iraqi security forces located and destroyed ISIS tunnels and hiding places south of Kirkuk. IEDs, weapons and a boat were found in the hiding places (Al-Sumaria, May 7, 2021).

Summary of ISIS’s activity in the various provinces

•  ISIS published an infographic this week, summing up its activity around the world between April 29 and May 5, 2021. According to the infographic, during this period, ISIS operatives carried out 81 attacks in the various provinces in Asia and Africa, compared to 80 in the previous week. The largest number of attacks was carried out in Iraq (52). The attacks carried out in the other provinces: Syria (12); Central Africa (8); West Africa (5); Khorasan, i.e., Afghanistan (4). According to the infographic, 168 people were killed or wounded in the attacks, compared to 182 in the previous week. The largest number of casualties was in Iraq (102). The other casualties were in the following provinces: West Africa (19); Syria (17); Khorasan, i.e., Afghanistan (15); Central Africa (15) (Al-Naba’ weekly, Telegram, May 6, 2021).

A phone call between the Iranian and Syrian ministers of foreign affairs. (IRNA, May 5)

Overview

• Sources in Syria reported that the Afghan militia, the Fatemiyoun Brigade, which operates in Syria under the guidance of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has begun recruiting local Syrians into its ranks. The recruitment of local fighters is part of an ongoing trend of growing Iranian reliance on local manpower for its military activities in Syria.
• Iran’s newly appointed Ambassador to Damascus, Mehdi Sobhani, assumed him position after it was confirmed by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sobhani, who previously served in the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran, as well as in Iran’s embassies in Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and the Ukraine, replaced Javad Torkabadi who recently completed his term as the ambassador.
• Iraqi protesters in the city of Karbala in southern Iraq torched the wall of the Iranian consulate in the city. The protesters, who also chanted against Iranian meddling in their country, tried to set the consulate on fire after the killing of a local political activist, who was likely assassinated by pro-Iranian militias.
• The American 5^th Fleet succeeded in foiling a major weapon smuggling from Iran to the Houthis in Yemen. Meanwhile, the Iranian embassy in Ankara denied a Turkish report about the transfer of Syrian fighters by the IRGC to fight in Yemen.
• The Head of Hamas’ Politburo, Ismail Hanniyeh, sent a message to the supreme leader of Iran, updating him about the latest developments in Jerusalem, and calling on the Muslim world to stand by the Palestinians in the struggle against Israel’s policies in the city, and to support to the Palestinian “resistance.” On the night of May 10, Hanniyeh spoke on the phone with the Iranian minister of foreign affairs and asked for Iran’s support for the Palestinians, in light of the latest escalation. On May 12, the Iranian minister of foreign affairs arrived for a meeting in Damascus with senior Syrian regime officials, as well as the heads of the Palestinian factions in Syria.
• International al-Qods Day was marked in Iran without the usual organized rallies owing to COVID-19 restrictions. In several cities, local events were held to mark the day, including in Tehran, where a rally in support of the Palestinians was attended by several Iranian high-ranking officials and representatives from Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Houthis of Yemen. In a speech to mark the occasion, the Supreme Leader Khamenei, once again rejected Israel’s existence and called for continuing the armed struggle against it.

Iranian Involvement in Syria

• On May 12, the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, arrived for a visit in Damascus. During the visit, he met with senior Syrian regime officials and the heads of the Palestinian factions in Syria, and discussed developments in Syria and the region, and the Israeli-Palestinian escalation (IRNA, May 12).
• On May 5, the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, spoke with his Syrian counterpart, Faisal al-Miqdad. The two discussed bilateral relationship as well as regional and international developments. The Iranian minister of foreign affairs expressed Iran’s support for Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and stressed the legitimacy of the upcoming presidential elections. The Syrian minister of foreign affairs briefed Zarif on domestic dynamics in Syria ahead of the coming elections and invited him for a visit in Damascus (IRNA, May 5).
• A pro-opposition Syrian news website reported that the headquarters of Fawj 47, an IRGC-backed Syrian militia that operates in the Deir Ezzor region in eastern Syria, dispatched about 200 fighters from the city of Albu Kamal and its environs to the headquarters of the militia, for a one-month training. The website also claimed that on May 1, a security-related meeting was held in Albu Kamal, with commanders of the IRGC attending. One issue that was discussed was the arrest of five members of the Fawj by Syrian Military Intelligence (Euphrates Post, May 2).
• The Afghan Fatemiyoun Brigade, which operates in Syria under IRGC guidance, began recruiting local Syrians into its ranks, and opened recruitment centers in Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria and al-Kiswe, south of Damascus. Syrian sources reported that the militia intends to recruit about 2,000 fighters in all the regions under its control. The new recruits in Deir Ezzor are expected to receive a monthly salary of about 170,000 Syrian Lira, and the recruits around Damascus are expected to receive a salary of 200,000 Syrian Lira (Aram Media, May 8). The recruitment of Syrian into the ranks of Iranian-backed militias is part of an overall trend of increasing Iranian reliance on local manpower in its military activity in the country.
• A Syrian news channel reported about the conversion of a Sunni mosque in the town of al-Ghabrah near Albu Kamal into a Shia religious center (Husseyniya). According to this report, pro-Iranian militias in eastern Syria announced turning the al-Batin Mosque in the town into a Husseyniya. Shia flags and posters were emplaced on the mosque, and the residents, entirely Sunni, were banned from approaching it. Iranian, Afghan and Iraqi guards were placed in the environs of the mosque (Twitter account @DeirEzzorNoew, May 3).
• The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the nomination of Mehdi Sobhani as Iran’s incoming ambassador to Syria and he assumed his position on May 9. Prior to this, Sobhani served as the director of strategic planning at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the general consul of Iran to Karachi in Pakistan, the deputy director on west Asian affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the deputy ambassador to Turkmenistan and the Ukraine (IRNA, May 9). Sobhani replaced Javad Torkabadi in his position as ambassador to Damascus.

Iranian Involvement in Iraq and Yemen

• On May 9, Iraqi protesters in Karbala, southern Iraq, torched the walls of the Iranian consulate in the city. The protesters, who chanted against Iranian meddling in Iraq, tried to torch the embassy following the funeral of Iraqi activist, Ehab al-Wazni, who was likely assassinated by pro-Iranian militias in Karbala. The state-run Arabic-language TV channel of Iran, al-Alam, reported (May 9) that Iraqi security forces cleared dozens of protesters who gathered at the consulate. The spokesman of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saeed Khatibzadeh, condemned the attack on the consulate and demanded that Iraqi authorities protect Iranian’s diplomatic representation offices in the country. The Iraqi ambassador to Tehran was démarched at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the event. Prior to the assault on the consulate, the Iranian consulate issued a condemnation of the assassination of the local activist. In November 2019, the Iranian consulate in Karbala, as well as the consulate in Najaf, were attacked by Iraqi protesters calling for an end to Iran’s meddling in their country’s domestic affairs.
•  On May 2, the Iraqi Minister of Electricity, Majid Mahdi Hantoush, met in Tehran with the Iranian Minister of Energy, Reza Ardekanian, and discussed cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector, and settling Iraq’s debt to Iran for the import of gas and electricity. Hantoush announced that the two countries reached an understanding concerning continuing the supply of gas and electricity from Iran to Iraq. Hantoush thanked Iran for the assistance it has given to Iraq in recent years in supplying electicity, and remarked that Iraq is still unable to supply all of its electricity needs by itself. He added that Iranian firms are operating in Iraq in various sectors, including in the establishment of new power stations (IRNA, May 2).
• The American Navy’s 5^th Fleet announced that it managed to prevent, on May 6-7, the smuggling of weapons from Iran to the Houthis in Yemen in the northern Arabian Sea. The weaponry being smuggled included dozens of anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) manufactured by Russia, thousands of AK-56 assault rifles made in China, hundreds of PKM machine guns, sniper rifles and grenade launchers (Reuters, May 8). Meanwhile, the Iranian embassy in Ankara denied a report published by the Turkish Anadolu News Agency, claiming that about 120 Syrian fighters were dispatched by the IRGC to Yemen, to fight alongside the Houthis. According to the report, the fighters would receive a monthly salary of 500 dollars. The statement of the Iranian embassy asserted that the report reflects lack of knowledge about the reality on the ground, and that Iran supports the end of the war in Yemen and diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis in the country (IRNA, May 9).

Iranian Involvement in the Palestinian Arena

•  International al-Qods Day was marked in Iran on May 7 (the last Friday in the month of Ramadan). Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the day, which is intended to express the support for the Palestinian cause and the “liberation of Jerusalem” by Iran and the Muslim World, was marked without organized rallies, although several cities witnessed local events to mark the day.
• On the eve of International al-Qods Day, a number of Iranian state institutions and organization issued statements of support for the Palestinians and called for continuing the Palestinian struggle against the “Zionist regime.” On May 6^th, Tehran witnessed a conference titled “the liberation of al-Qods is near,” attended by Hojjat-ul-Islam Mohsen Mahmoudi, the Head of the Coordinating Committee for Islamic Propagation ; Abdullah Safi al-Din, the Representative of Hezbollah in Tehran; Muhammad Mustafa Juheir, the Palestinian Deputy Ambassador to Tehran; Khaled Qodoumi, the Representative of Hamas in Tehran; Nasser Abu Sharif, the Representative of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Tehran; and Ibrahim Mohammed al-Daylami, the Ambassador of Houthi-controlled Yemen to Iran. The speakers at the events stressed the importance of the Palestinian cause and the need to continue down the path of “resistance,” and praised Iran’s unyielding support for the Palestinians, and pointed to the challenges facing the Palestinians, including the ongoing conflict with Israel, American support for Israel, and the internal divide among the Palestinians (Fars, May 6).
• In his speech on the occasion of al-Qods Day, the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, rejected Israel’s existence and called for continuing with the strategy of “resistance.” He remarked that the Palestinian issue continues to be the top question for the Muslim nation and that the “Zionist regime” is the byproduct of a capitalist-communist plot, headed by Britain and assisted by Zionist capitalists. Khamenei claimed that from the first day of Israel’s existence, the Zionists turned Palestine into a base for terrorism, and that Israel is not a state, but a terrorist outpost against the Palestinian people and the rest of the Muslim nations. He remarked that the struggle against Israel is a struggle against oppression and terrorism and is a communal obligation. Khamenei declared that the balance of power has changed in favor of the Muslim world, and it is the duty of Muslim countries to cooperate with one another concerning the questions of Palestine and Jerusalem. He condemned the normalization efforts between Israel and Arab countries, which, he claimed, are doomed to fail. He declared that the downfall of the “Zionist enemy” has commenced and will not be stopped. Khamenei addressed Arab countries in Arabic, calling on them to realize their responsibility toward Palestine. In addition, the supreme leader of Iran called for preserving the internal unity among the Palestinians against their main enemies: The United States, Britain and the Zionists, and continue to struggle against Israel, until the “Zionists” will be forced to accept holding a referendum among the original inhabitants of Palestine to determine the country’s fate. He discussed what he termed Israel’s growing weakness, which manifests in a political crisis, in Israel’s defeats in Lebanon and Gaza, and the desire of many Jews to emigrate from Israel. On the other hand, the resistance camp is bolstering its capabilities and military might, he argued (Fars, May 7).
• Following the ongoing escalation in Jerusalem, the Head of Hamas’ Politburo, Ismail Hanniyeh, sent a missive to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, and updated him about developments in Israel and Israel’s activities in the city. Hanniyeh called on the Muslim world to adopt a clear position of support for Jerusalem’s residents and stop the “crimes of the Israeli occupiers” and the aggression of the settlers. Hanniyeh asked Khamenei to assist in rallying Muslim, Arab and international public opinion against Israel’s ongoing activities in Jerusalem, and in support of the “resistance” of the Palestinians (Tasnim, May 9). On May 10, Hanniyeh spoke on the phone with Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zarif, and updated him about developments in Jerusalem and in Gaza. Hanniyeh asked Zarif that Iran support the “resistance of the Palestinian people,” and Zarif stressed Iran’s support for the Palestinian people (Fars, May 10).