Yasser Arafat’s visit to Iran post-Islamic Revolution highlighted a significant shift in Iranian foreign policy towards Palestinian support. Arafat emphasized the importance of this revolution for the Palestinian struggle, while Imam Khomeini stressed reliance on God for liberation. The visit also marked a departure from the Shah’s pro-Israel stance, illustrating a unified Islamic front against oppression.
Yasser Arafat, the then chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), was the first foreign leader to visit Iran following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. His visit to Tehran to meet Imam Khomeini symbolized a significant change in Iran’s foreign policy towards the Palestinian cause, as the previously pro-Israel regime under the Shah had shifted. Arafat, who arrived unexpectedly from Damascus, expressed the importance of Iran’s revolution, stating it guaranteed the Palestinian struggle’s success. He remarked, “Iran and Imam Khomeini showed that our Umma (Muslims) will never give up. The Iranians broke the chains tied around the Palestinians. This great revolution of yours is the guarantee of our victory.” The PLO chairman noted the revolution had fundamentally altered the political landscape in the region, saying it turned their entire strategy “upside down.”
The visit underscored Iran’s departure from its former ties with Israel, a relationship that had benefited the oppressive regime of Mohammad Reza Shah. Under the Shah, Iran had maintained a covert relationship with Israel while providing it substantial oil resources. The establishment of an unofficial Israeli embassy in Tehran, which served as a center of espionage during the Shah’s regime, ceased with the Iranian Revolution. A striking shift occurred as Arafat and his delegation installed a sign reading “Palestine Embassy” at the formerly Israeli-operated site, marking the official recognition of Palestinian representation in Iran.
During his meeting with Imam Khomeini, Arafat was guided on the necessity of relying on Islamic faith and unity among Muslim nations for the Palestinian cause, distinguishing from previous strategies based on foreign alliances. Imam Khomeini emphasized that the Palestinian issue should unify the entire Islamic community, urging Muslims to support the Palestinian uprising as a religious duty. He underscored that past alliances with countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, or Israel had failed and that only faith in God would be a trustworthy form of support.
Years later, Arafat’s strategy would diverge as he pursued a two-state solution, resulting in the Oslo Accords, which significantly impacted the Palestinian struggle adversely. Following the Islamic Revolution, Iran forged alliances with various Resistance movements across the region, striving to empower the Palestinian cause on a global platform. This included the establishment of International Quds Day, initiated to express solidarity with Palestinians worldwide.
Indications show that the Resistance movement, evolving from the principles of the Iranian Revolution, has succeeded on multiple fronts against Israel, solidifying as a global phenomenon. Today, Iran continues to support this Resistance movement, asserting its role in combatting oppressive regimes and aiding in the Palestinian quest for liberation.
The visit of Yasser Arafat to Iran shortly after the Islamic Revolution marked a pivotal shift in Iran’s foreign policy towards the Palestinian issue. With Imam Khomeini’s guidance, the visit established a framework for Palestinian support based on Islamic principles rather than foreign alliances. The evolution of the Resistance movement, inspired by the Iranian Revolution, has led to significant successes against oppression. Iran’s commitment to supporting the Palestinian struggle has fostered a global movement rooted in faith and solidarity.
Original Source: www.tehrantimes.com
