![\"Meeting](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/word-image-1779300545114.png\")
Meeting between the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad and Ammar al-Hakim (Tasnim, May 16, 2026)![\"Al-Saadi](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/word-image-1779300546699.png\")
Al-Saadi with Qassem Soleimani (US Department of Justice, May 15, 2026)![\"Al-Saadi](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/word-image-1779300546031.png\")
Al-Saadi with Qassem Soleimani (US Department of Justice, May 15, 2026)Highlights[1]<\/p>\n
Senior Iranian officials strongly condemned the elimination of the head of Hamas\u2019 military wing, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, in the Gaza Strip and emphasized that his death would not harm the path of the \u201cresistance\u201d until the \u201celimination\u201d of Israel.
\nIn a statement marking Nakba Day, the Iranian Foreign Ministry emphasized its country\u2019s support for the Palestinian people\u2019s right \u201cto resist occupation and apartheid\u201d and for the right of return of Palestinian refugees.
\nSenior Iranian officials reiterated Tehran\u2019s demand for an end to the war in Lebanon as part of its proposal to end the war with the United States. The Houthi leader claimed that Hezbollah\u2019s \u201cresistance\u201d operations are \u201clegitimate.\u201d
\nIran welcomed the formation of the new government in Iraq headed by Ali al-Zaidi.
\nThe US Department of Justice announced that a senior official in the Kata\u2019ib Hezbollah militia in Iraq was arrested and charged with involvement in attacks against Jewish and American targets in retaliation for the war in Iran.<\/p>\n
Iran and the Militias amid Developments in the Palestinian Arena<\/p>\n
Senior Iranian officials condemned the elimination of the head of Hamas\u2019 military wing, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip:[2]<\/p>\n
An Iranian Foreign Ministry statement noted that \u201cthis terrorist act\u201d and similar assassinations are part of \u201cIsrael\u2019s criminal plan for the colonialist erasure of Palestine,\u201d and that the US \u2013 as the largest military, financial, and political supporter of the \u201cZionist regime\u201d \u2013 is complicit in each of these \u201ccrimes.\u201d It was further noted that the \u201ccowardly assassination\u201d of Palestinian leaders is a clear sign of the distress and helplessness of a regime that, despite committing the \u201cmost horrific crimes and killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people\u201d over the past eight decades, has failed to eradicate the spirit of \u201cresistance to occupation, apartheid, and violent colonialism\u201d from the hearts of the Palestinians, who are now more determined than ever to fight for the realization of their human rights, especially the right to self-determination. The Iranian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the physical elimination of \u201cresistance\u201d commanders will not harm its path and will only become a source of inspiration for those walking the path of honor and freedom for \u201cPalestine\u201d (ISNA, May 17, 2026).
\nMajles Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf emphasized that the fate of the Palestinian people will be determined by the \u201cbrave Palestinians\u201d through the continuation of the path of \u201cresistance.\u201d Qalibaf wrote that the \u201cfighting brother\u201d had dedicated his life to the struggle against the occupiers of his land \u2013 whether on the battlefield or in the prisons of the \u201cZionist executioners\u201d \u2013 and even sacrificed two of his sons along this path. He noted that although the years of existence of the \u201coccupiers\u201d of Jerusalem are full of various \u201ccrimes and betrayals,\u201d his death during the ceasefire period proves once again Israel\u2019s \u201cviolation\u201d of promises and agreements (Mehr, May 17, 2026).
\nIn a statement issued on behalf of the IRGC commander, Ahmad Vahidi, it was stated that \u201cthe criminal hands of the Zionist regime\u201d had once again been stained with the pure blood of one of the greatest \u201cresistance fighters,\u201d who served as a symbol of the steadfastness of the Palestinian people. The statement further noted that victory would come through the elimination of the \u201coccupiers of Palestine,\u201d the removal of the \u201ccancerous tumor of the Zionist regime,\u201d and the liberation of Jerusalem, and that the \u201ctreacherous Zionist enemy\u201d must fully understand that the iron will of the residents of Gaza cannot be broken and that it will be defeated. The statement emphasized the Iranian people\u2019s unwavering support, especially that of the IRGC, for the \u201cpowerful and historic resistance\u201d (Sepah News, May 17, 2026).
\nQods Force commander Esmail Qaani also published a message, in which he wrote that Haddad\u2019s assassination by the \u201ccowardly Zionists\u201d proved that the \u201cresistance\u201d is alive and well, especially in the heart of Gaza, and that his pure blood will serve as a source of inspiration for young Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Jerusalem and the elimination of the \u201coccupying regime\u201d (ISNA, May 18, 2026).<\/p>\n
The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement marking Nakba Day, in which it condemned the \u201ccrimes of the Zionist regime against the Palestinians\u201d and emphasized that they constitute \u201cwar crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.\u201d The statement said that the Islamic Republic emphasizes the fundamental right of the Palestinian people \u201cto resist occupation and apartheid\u201d and its support for the right of return of Palestinian refugees to their homeland and for the establishment of an independent and unified Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. It was further stated that Iran strongly condemns the \u201ccrimes of the Zionist regime\u201d and completely rejects any plan that includes the \u201cforced deportation\u201d of the residents of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank from their land. Additionally, the Foreign Ministry mentioned the legal and moral responsibility of the international community to stop the genocide, end the \u201coccupation,\u201d and prosecute and punish the \u201cZionist criminals.\u201d It was also written that Nakba Day serves as a reminder of the \u201cconspiracy of the enemies of humanity against Palestine\u201d and the West Asia region, the direct result of which was making the region unstable and normalizing the violation of law. According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, \u201cthe colonialist elimination plan of Palestine\u201d has entered a new phase over the past three years, and the \u201coccupying regime\u201d has carried out a \u201ccruel genocide\u201d against the Palestinians using the most lethal weapons provided to it by the US and its supporters in the West (Tasnim, May 15, 2026).
\nIn a speech at a ceremony marking Nakba Day, Iran\u2019s Ambassador to the UN, Amir-Saeid Iravani, said that the future of \u201cPalestine\u201d should be determined by the Palestinians themselves. He emphasized Iran\u2019s solidarity with the Palestinian people and noted that support for their struggle should not be limited solely to expressions of solidarity (snn.ir, May 15, 2026).
\nThe Houthi Foreign Ministry \u201cstrongly\u201d condemned the \u201cIsraeli aggression and piracy against the Global Freedom Flotilla,\u201d after the Israeli Navy thwarted the attempt by dozens of vessels that had departed from Turkey to reach the Gaza Strip. The ministry stated that this constituted a \u201cblatant violation\u201d of international law and that these actions reflected Israel\u2019s \u201cbrutality and criminality\u201d toward \u201cconscientious activists\u201d who had come to support the plight of the Palestinian people. The ministry called on the international community to take a firm stance and act against Israel to secure the release of the activists and punish it for these actions (Houthi Foreign Ministry Telegram channel, May 19, 2026).<\/p>\n
Iran and the Militias amid Developments in the Lebanese Arena<\/p>\n
Senior Iranian officials once again emphasized Tehran\u2019s demand for an end to the war in Lebanon as part of its proposal to end the war with the United States: Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi referred to the clauses of the revised proposal that Iran conveyed to the United States through Pakistan and said that it included, among other things, a demand to end the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon (IRNA, May 19, 2026). Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of the Majles National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, stated that any future agreement with the United States must be an agreement with the entire \u201cresistance front,\u201d including Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen. He noted that if the Americans do not accept this principle, there is no point in negotiations (Aftab News, May 18, 2026).
\nHouthi leader Abd al-Malik al-Houthi condemned the Israeli \u201caggression\u201d against Lebanon and the \u201ccrimes\u201d it is committing in the country despite the ceasefire declared there by the United States. Al-Houthi further claimed that, in resisting Israel\u2019s actions, Hezbollah is acting within its \u201cduty and right\u201d to defend Lebanon and that its actions are \u201clegitimate\u201d under international law. He attacked the parties in Lebanon that accuse Hezbollah of escalation and call for the organization\u2019s disarmament, claiming that they are thereby serving Israel. In addition, al-Houthi addressed Israel\u2019s actions in Syria and claimed that the United States is assisting Israel in the \u201cviolation\u201d of Syria\u2019s sovereignty and in taking control of territory in the country. Finally, al-Houthi claimed that Israel is also conducting military exercises simulating a surprise attack on Egypt and Jordan as part of the \u201cGreater Israel\u201d project, which seeks to dominate the region with US assistance (Almasirah, May 18, 2026).<\/p>\n
\u00a0Iran\u2019s Involvement in Iraq<\/p>\n
Senior officials in the Iranian administration welcomed the formation of the new government in Iraq: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that he hopes the establishment of the new government will open a new chapter of strategic cooperation in all fields, based on the deep and historic ties between the two peoples. He added that the Islamic Republic will continue to stand alongside the Iraqi government and people on the path toward development, prosperity, and the strengthening of Iraq\u2019s security (Masoud Pezeshkian\u2019s X account, May 15, 2026). Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi congratulated the new prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, who will continue in his position (Abbas Araghchi\u2019s X account, May 14, 2026).
\nIran\u2019s ambassador to Baghdad, Mohammad Kazem Al-e Sadeq, met with the head of Iraq\u2019s National Wisdom Movement, Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim, and discussed with him the political developments in Iraq and the region, as well as ways to strengthen ties between Iran and Iraq. Al-Hakim stressed the need for a diplomatic solution to the regional crisis and for an end to the war against Iran. He also expressed hope for the completion of the formation of the new government in Iraq (Tasnim, May 16, 2026).<\/p>\n
Meeting between the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad and Ammar al-Hakim (Tasnim, May 16, 2026)<\/p>\n
The Pro-Iranian Militias in Iraq<\/p>\n
The US Department of Justice announced that Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawoud al-Saadi, a senior official in Kata\u2019ib Hezbollah and the IRGC, had been arrested in Turkey and extradited to the US on charges of involvement in nearly twenty terrorist attacks, some of which were carried out in Europe and the United States in retaliation for the war in Iran. According to the announcement, al-Saadi was involved in attacks carried out against Jewish and American targets in the United States, Europe, and Canada in recent months, and in planning additional attacks in the United States against Jewish and other institutions. It was further claimed that he was close to the former commander of the Qods Force, Qasem Soleimani (US Department of Justice, May 15, 2026).<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0
Al-Saadi with Qassem Soleimani (US Department of Justice, May 15, 2026)<\/p>\n
In response to the American announcement, Kata\u2019ib Hezbollah spokesman Abu Mujahid al-Assaf denied that al-Saadi is a member of the organization but promised that he would return to his homeland \u201cwith his head held high,\u201d since he is a supporter of the \u201cresistance.\u201d The statement further noted that the organization is aware that most US and Israeli reconnaissance and intelligence operations in Iraq originate from Jordan and that the Jordanian government should learn a lesson from what occurred in the recent war, \u201cbecause patience is running out.\u201d In addition, the statement said that, based on information received by the militia, the United States and Israel are planning to launch a new \u201caggression\u201d against the forces of the \u201cIslamic Resistance,\u201d and therefore both countries will bear responsibility for any harm caused to \u201cthe people of Iraq\u201d (Kata\u2019ib Hezbollah Telegram channel, May 18, 2026).<\/p>\n
[1] The weekly study includes the activities of Iran, the Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, and the Houthis in Yemen. Related Articles<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Meeting between the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad and Ammar al-Hakim (Tasnim, May 16, 2026)Al-Saadi with Qassem Soleimani (US…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":453793,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[211789,211794,23698,92214,211793,50,51,86,85,4427,87,6605,53065,46,3794,2286,88,207883,43,48,211792,211790,20424,99813,1032,211791,99812],"class_list":["post-453792","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-israel","tag-al-haddad","tag-amit-institute","tag-apartheid","tag-elimination","tag-eypt","tag-gaza","tag-hamas","tag-hezbollah","tag-il","tag-intelligence","tag-iran","tag-iraq","tag-irgc","tag-israel","tag-jerusalem","tag-jordan","tag-lebanon","tag-nakba-day","tag-news","tag-palestine","tag-qaani","tag-qalibaf","tag-qods-force","tag-shiite-axis","tag-united-states","tag-vahidi","tag-zimmt"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/453792","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=453792"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/453792\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/453793"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=453792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=453792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=453792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n[2] For further information on the elimination and other reactions in the \u201cresistance axis,\u201d see the Amit Institute\u2019s study from May 18, 2026, \u201cElimination of Izz al-Din al-Haddad, Head of Hamas\u2019 Military Wing: Reactions and Significance<\/a>\u201d
\n[3] For further information, see the ITIC\u2019s study from March 18, 2026, \u201cThe Iran-Israel War: Possible Iranian-Orchestrated Attacks against Israeli and Jewish Targets<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n