“After the martyrdom of Sinwar and many [other] martyrdoms in Gaza, Hamas is still alive and firm, and it is a reality in Palestine that no one can ignore”, Araghchi told reporters on Saturday following his meeting with senior Hamas officials in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

The top Iranian diplomat said that meetings and political negotiations have continued between Hamas and regional officials, which shows that the resistance movement is alive and active.

“Hamas is alive more than ever”, Araghchi said, adding that the Hamas officials whom he met on Saturday had a meeting with the Turkish foreign minister a day before.

“Political negotiations are ongoing, and Hamas will continue its path stronger than before.”

He said that the war in Gaza and ceasefire negotiations were part of the topics he discussed with the Hamas officials during the Saturday meeting.

The top Iranian diplomat noted that the Israeli regime has killed more than 42,000 people and destroyed many houses and committed other crimes in Gaza over the past year, but has not achieved any of its goals and will not achieve them.

Araghchi visited Istanbul for a ministerial meeting on regional cooperation in the Caucasus.

He left the Turkish city for Tehran on Saturday night, wrapping up a regional tour that also took him to Jordan and Egypt, among other countries. The tour was part of Iran’s diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing regional tensions that have been escalating due to intensifying Israeli aggression on Gaza and Lebanon.