Iranian support vital for Hamas after ties restored with Syria

Ten years ago, Hamas, the Palestinian movement that rules the Gaza Strip, publicly came out in support of the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

“I salute all the nations of the Arab Spring and I salute the heroic people of Syria who are striving for freedom, democracy and reform,” Ismail Haniya, one of Hamas leaders, announced at Friday prayers at Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo.

“The Syrian revolution is an Arab revolution,” worshippers chanted back, as Hamas’s break…