Iran has agreed to provide fixed financial support to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement (PIJ) to the tune of $70 million per year for the foreseeable future.
Reports from Iran say the deal was made during a recent visit by PIJ officials, including the Secretary General Ramadan Shalah and the military official of PIJ, Akram Ajuri. They held public meetings with the Iranian leadership and other private meetings with the Command of the Iranian National Guard as well as Qassem Soleimani, the Commander of the Quds Force.
The parties discussed various files that elaborated the Iranian vision for the PIJ Movement in the coming years.
They are also allocating another $70 million as an annual budget for the Quds Brigades, transferred from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s treasury.
Tehran pledged funding the movement consistently after a hiatus for two years.
According to the sources, Iran was content with its deal with the PIJ Movement and with Ramadan Shalah’s statement from Tehran confirming the country’s supportive stance with Palestine.
During a public appearance in Tehran, Islamic Jihad leader Shalah said “defending Palestine is defending Islam.”
Palestinian Islamic Jihad is a terrorist organisation that has claimed responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of Israeli civilians since its inception. Most recently, PIJ praised the Hamas suicide bomber who blew himself up on a bus in March, injuring 20 Israeli civilians.
