“There should be no doubt that what happened in Syria is the result of a joint American and Zionist plan.” Khamenei reportedly noted.

JERUSALEM POST STAFF

Tehran has evidence that the events that took place in Syria leading to the ousting of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad were planned by the United States and Israel, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, according to Iranian state news agency IRNA.

“There should be no doubt that what happened in Syria is the result of a joint American and Zionist plan.” Khamenei reportedly noted.

“Yes, the neighboring country of Syria has played a clear role in this matter and continues to do so—this is evident to all—but the primary conspirator, the main planner, and the central command room are in the United States and the Zionist regime. We have evidence. This evidence leaves no room for doubt.” the ayatollah continued.

Khamenei added that “resistance” would extend across the whole of the Middle East more that it has ever before.

“This is resistance. This is the front of resistance: the more pressure is applied, the stronger it becomes. The more atrocities are committed, the more motivated it becomes. The more it is fought, the more it expands. And I tell you that with the power of God, the scope of resistance will encompass the entire region more than before.”

‘Iran is strong’

Khamenei went on to criticize observers who associated the weakening of Iran’s regional proxies and allies with the weakening of the Islamic Republic itself.

“That ignorant analyst, unaware of the meaning of resistance, imagines that if resistance weakens, Islamic Iran will also weaken,” the Iranian autocrat reportedly said. “And I say, with the help and strength of God, by His permission, Iran is strong, powerful, and will become even more powerful.”

Officials reportedly confirmed that hostage/ceasefire negotiations were privately progressing.

SAM HALPERN

Hamas has given Egyptian mediators a list of Israeli hostages that are currently being held in captivity by the terror group, Saudi news channel Al Arabiya reported on Tuesday.

The update comes as the Saudi outlet reported that officials confirmed that negotiations were privately progressing and that secret communications were in the works to finalize a ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip.

On Monday, London-based Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported that Hamas had presented Egyptian mediators an initial list with the names of the hostages who would be included in a possible hostage deal.

The list reportedly included the names of four American hostages, as well as hostages who are elderly or suffer from medical conditions.

Hamas also submitted a list with the names of Palestinian prisoners it would like released from Israeli prisons in exchange for the hostages, according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

On Wednesday, Hamas’s representative in Lebanon, Ahmed Abdel Hadi, poured cold water on the reports, telling the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese news outlet Al Mayadeen that the terror organization had neither received any ceasefire proposal nor submitted any lists.

‘There was no Zionist offer’

“There was no Zionist offer during the visit of the Hamas delegation to Cairo, nor were there any new ideas for us to consider,” Hadi reportedly told the Al Mayadeen.

According to the Lebanese report, Hadi said the reports that Hamas had presented lists of hostages were rumors and that American, European, and regional entities were trying to promote a positive narrative.

“They assume that the movement will succumb to the enemy’s conditions,” Hadi told the Lebanese outlet.

Earlier this month, two Israeli officials told Walla that Israel had given Hamas, through Egyptian mediators, an updated version of a ceasefire deal proposal that involves the release of the remaining 100 hostages.