Slip of the tongue? In TV interview, former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal says Iran killed Ismail Haniyeh

Meshaal’s comments, along with reports of IRGC Quds Force commander’s arrest show uncertainty within Iranian Axis of Resistance

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Senior Hamas official, and former Politburo head, Khaled Meshaal was recently interviewed on Qatari TV Channel Al Araby where he made a surprising statement.

Speaking of the death of former Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, Meshaal said, “Iran killed brother Abu el Abed Haniyeh…where? In Tehran.”

Khaled Meshaal with a freudian slip ? 🤔
"Iran" assasinated Haniah in Tehran pic.twitter.com/END9J4MIsm
— Mo Ghaoui (@moghaoui) October 9, 2024

Meshaal’s remarks, which were apparently a slip of the tongue or a momentary confusion, did not go unnoticed in the Arab world.

Clips of the video interview were widely shared on social networks by the Arab community and especially Palestinians.

One commented, “It was not a slip of the tongue! On the contrary, God made him speak the truth. He is the one who weaned himself on lies, deception, and contempt for the blood and soul of the Palestinian people.”

An Arab reporter on 𝕏, M. Aldhabyani, called Meshaal’s statement, “The naked truth.”

Several Arab accounts on 𝕏 also treated the statement as an accurate statement, not a slip of the tongue, with one user saying Meshaal’s statements “confirm the seriousness of what the axis of resistance is facing,” insinuating that Israel had turned the “Axis of Resistance” members [Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas] against each other.

Many conspiracy theories have been shared about the killing of Haniyeh in Tehran. The former chairman of Hamas' political bureau was staying at an IRGC hotel in Tehran on July 31, for an official visit to attend the inauguration of Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian.

There are two conflicting stories about his death, although both would require the assistance of someone within Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Rumors out of Iran since Haniyeh’s death have claimed the regime has been conducting a “witch hunt” to root out potential Israeli agents.

This is not the first time Meshaal made controversial statements this week. In an interview on the anniversary of Oct. 7, Meshaal described Hamas' losses as "tactical" while saying Israel's losses were "strategic."

In Wednesday's interview with Al Araby, Meshaal described Israel’s achievements in the Gaza War as "tactical achievements," but said it had suffered "strategic losses" in the international and diplomatic arenas.

These comments led to an outpouring of outrage, especially on social media.

Dr. Mahmoud Al-Habbash, senior advisor to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas wrote, "How is the death of some 50,000 Palestinians a tactical loss? So what is a strategic loss?"

One Arab on social media commented that Meshaal’s statements showed that the Palestinian people are just pawns “to achieve Iran’s interests.”

Meshaal is reportedly an opponent of the Iranian axis and supports an alliance with Sunni Arab countries that are willing to support Hamas. The Iranian regime reportedly opposed Meshaal's reappointment as head of the political bureau.

Meanwhile, IRGC Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani is being investigated following Nasrallah's assassination, according to a report in Middle East Eye, a Qatari-funded British newspaper.

Various Iranian sources claimed the Quds Force commander was not injured in the Israeli strike that led to the killing of Hashem Safi al-Din – Nasrallah's successor – and that he was under guard and being interrogated in Lebanon by the IRGC over suspicions that he, or someone close to him, informed Israel.

"The Iranians have a serious suspicion that the Israelis managed to infiltrate the Revolutionary Guards, especially those operating in the Lebanese sector, so everyone is now under investigation," said a commander of a force close to Iran. "Nothing is certain yet. The investigation is ongoing and all options are open," he added.