Senior Iranian Official Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel: Iran Is Not Joining The War Because This Would Give Israel What It Wants – A War Between Iran And The U.S

Former Majles speaker and current member of Expediency Council Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel said on a November 17, 2023 show that aired on Ofogh TV (Iran) that Iran joining the actual war against Israel would not necessarily serve Palestinian strategic interests. He explained that this is what Israel wants Iran to do, because it has been seeking a war between Iran and the U.S., after which Israel would be the one to survive. Haddad-Adel said that shortly after the 2006 Lebanon-Israel war, both Hizbullah Sec.-Gen. Hassan Nasrallah and Hizbullah’s military Chief Imad Mughniyeh paid a secret visit to Iran and spent the 19th night of Ramadan in Haddad-Adel’s home, sharing anecdotes from the war.

Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel: "Some time after the 33-day war between Lebanon and the Zionist regime, when I was speaker of the Majles, [Nasrallah] secretly traveled to Iran. The martyr Imad Mughniyeh accompanied him. It was the 19th night of Ramadan that they came to my house, along with one or two members of the Majles, I think Mr. Boroujerdi... They shared some of their memories of that war and different discussions followed, which continued until the early hours of the next morning. This was a rejuvenating and unforgettable night."

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Interviewer: "Do you think that the relationship today [with Hamas] is sufficient? Is it enough to provide moral support and various kinds of consultation? Some people on social media ask – and some are of that opinion – why the Islamic Republic is not entering an actual confrontation? I have to say to our viewers that we are not supporting any of these positions, but I am only raising it because the question was asked."

Haddad-Adel: "We need to tell these people that this might be what Israel wants. In fact, Israel wants to transform this war into a wider confrontation – for example, between Iran and the U.S. In that situation, Israel would be the one to survive. It is uncertain whether by actually joining the war, Iran would serve the strategic goals of Palestine. This is a very important point."

Interviewer: "Yes, very important."

Haddad Adel: "The Israelis have been urging the U.S. for years to go war with Iran."