DAR AL ISLAM: HAMAS / IRAN ALLIANCE

Hamas-Iran links full of contradictions, but also mutual interest

BEIRUT, Lebanon: When Iraq hung Saddam Hussein, furious Sunni Muslims in the militant group Hamas held mourning ceremonies. That did not sit well with Shiite Muslim Iran, one of Hamas' key backers but also a strong Saddam foe.

Yet the dispute over Saddam's execution did not break the Hamas-Iran alliance, either.

Instead the two — bound by common strategic interests — have solidified their relationship in the last year, creating a growing worry for both some Arab countries and for Israel.

Israel has in recent weeks accused Iran of training Hamas militants from Gaza and smuggling weapons to Hamas. The weekend formation of a Palestinian coalition government between Hamas, which won a democratic election a year ago, and the more moderate Fatah is sure to bring new attention to the issue.

At their core, Iran and Hamas are far apart ideologically: Iran espouses a fundamentalist Shiite version of Islam, while Hamas adheres to an equally strict rival Sunni version.

But when it comes to Hamas, Iran's interests are based primarily on its rivalry with Washington and with its Arab allies for influence in the region.

"Political Islam is very pragmatic," said Beirut-based Palestinian analyst Souheil Natour. "They are playing realpolitick."

Iranian analyst Saeid Leylaz said Iran's strategic goals are based on its perception that the United States is a threat to its survival.

"The Iranians are trying to use all the means at their disposal to cripple American efforts ... If Iran and America sit down at the negotiating table and discuss their strategies, I promise you that all Iran's actions in the Middle East, including Palestine, will change," he said.

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1) Hamas-Iran links full of contradictions, but also mutual interest