A recently resurfaced video lecture by Dr. Muhammad Al-Tayra, a well-known scholar of Sharia and Islamic studies residing in Jordan, has reignited discussion around the nature of cooperation between Hamas and Iran. Shared widely on Iranian social media in recent weeks, the video details longstanding ideological hostility by Hamas terrorists toward their Iranian backers, even as the group willingly accepts funds and military assistance as part of its operations against Israel.
The video, originally recorded several years ago, breaks down a reality that shapes much of the Middle East’s current conflict: while Sunni Islamic terrorist groups such as Hamas consider the Shiite regime in Iran as religiously impure—often labeling them as “infidels”—they continue to take advantage of Iran’s deep pockets and logistical networks to wage ongoing war against Israel. Dr. Al-Tayra, born in Oman and currently teaching in Jordan, explains that despite mutual distrust and hate, the strategic imperative of undermining Israel results in ongoing, pragmatic ties between these entities.
Pragmatism Over Principle: Funding Terrorism Against Israel
The alliance between Hamas and Iran is emblematic of what Israeli defense officials describe as the “Axis of Resistance”: a Tehran-led coalition of terror groups including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and others throughout Syria and Iraq. The connection is not one of religious conviction, but of shared opposition to Israel’s existence and a willingness to set aside deep-rooted theological disputes in favor of terror strategies, including indiscriminate rocket attacks, tunnel warfare, and hostage-taking.
Iran’s financial and military sponsorship of Hamas has been critical in enabling a succession of brutal assaults, most notably the October 7th, 2023 massacre—the worst antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust—which left over 1,200 Israelis murdered, including entire families, children, and elderly civilians. Israeli intelligence confirms that advanced weaponry, precision munitions, and technical expertise flowing from Iran have significantly elevated Hamas’s military capabilities.
Renewed Debate Within Iran
The video’s sudden surge in Iranian cyberspace comes at a time of growing unease among ordinary Iranians about the regime’s foreign spending. Widespread social sharing of Dr. Al-Tayra’s commentary has amplified voices questioning why Iranian citizens endure economic hardship and social repression while the Islamic Republic pours vast resources into funding anti-Israel terror proxies.
Domestic criticisms have also drawn attention to the hypocrisy of Hamas and similar groups: while publicly despising Shiite Iran, they eagerly accept Iranian largesse when it serves their campaign against Israel’s civilian population. The exposure of such cynicism has increased calls within both Iran and neighboring countries for greater transparency regarding Tehran’s support of foreign terror activities.
Iran’s Regional Web: Arms, Money, and Influence
For decades, Iran has positioned itself as the leader of the region’s war effort to destroy Israel, providing direct support to terror groups stretching from Lebanon and Gaza to Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. The Iranian regime’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has smuggled weapons, drone technology, and financial resources into Gaza through an elaborate network stretching across the Middle East.
This transnational support has allowed terror groups not only to attack Israeli civilians but also to destabilize U.S. allies in the region, delay normalization between Israel and moderate Arab nations, and inflame broader sectarian conflict. Israel’s response—from targeted strikes on Iranian infrastructure in Syria to persistent disruption of arms smuggling into Gaza—underscores the necessity of proactive defense policies against a well-funded, ideologically-driven adversary.
The Moral and Legal Distinction: Hostages and Terror
At the heart of the current conflict is a stark moral and legal distinction: Israel, a sovereign democracy, contends with ongoing threats from Iranian-funded terror groups that routinely violate international law through deliberate attacks on civilians. The October 7th massacre featured not just mass slaughter, but the abduction and abuse of innocent men, women, and children—hostages whose plight continues to drive Israeli military and diplomatic efforts. In stark contrast, terror groups and their Iranian patrons seek to frame their actions as resistance while relying on indiscriminate violence and manipulation of public perception.
Efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages have been frustrated by Hamas’s refusal to provide information, use of civilians as human shields, and long-standing willingness to trade innocent captives for convicted militants. Iranian support not only enables these practices but legitimizes further escalations across the region.
Regional and International Ramifications
The video’s renewed circulation highlights the ongoing need for accurate, clear-eyed reporting and policy-making regarding Iranian sponsorship of terrorism. As peace efforts such as the Abraham Accords show promise of regional normalization, entities like Iran and its proxies redouble their commitment to disrupting stability and opposing genuine reconciliation. Israel’s defensive measures—rooted in international law and the imperative to protect its population—remain critical to countering this multifront threat.
President Donald Trump and Israeli leaders have repeatedly called for uncompromising action against Iranian-backed terror. Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir emphasize that continued vigilance and international cooperation are vital in ensuring that the world does not turn a blind eye to both the reality of terror and the strategic pragmatism that fuels it.
Conclusion
The viral video by Dr. Muhammad Al-Tayra provides a rare window into the reality behind the headlines: for Hamas and Iran, pragmatism and hatred intersect in a war of annihilation against Israel. While Iran bankrolls foreign proxies with little regard for theological divide, Hamas reveals its willingness to cooperate with derided Shiite backers, so long as their joint objective—to attack Israel—is realized. For Israel and its allies, understanding and exposing these dynamics is not merely an academic exercise but a crucial battlefield in the broader fight for regional security and historical truth.
