Hamas Politburo chief Khaled Mashaal said Saturday that "our position is that of resistance until the Zionist regime is defeated."

Speaking at a pro-Palestinian conference in Tehran Mashaal added: "We hope that Arab states realize there is no other alternative but pursue the path of resistance."

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"First we should free Palestine and then establish a country in it… Palestinians must resort to resistance no matter how costly it is, until Palestine is free and Israel is destroyed," Mashaal said to participants of the "5th International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada."





No alternative . Khaled Mashaal (Photo: Reuters)

According to Iran 's Fars news agency, Mashaal called on the different Palestinian groups to "find a practical way to achieve the freedom of the homeland, the return of refugees and creation of a real Palestinian state."

He also reiterated Hamas's opposition of the Palestinian UN bid , led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the United Nations.

Hamas is united in its opposition to Abbas' bid for UN membership, group spokesman Fawzi Barhoum told the Palestinian Maan news agency on Saturday.

Barhoum added that Mashaal's comments in Tehran "reflected the party's position clearly and without ambiguity," and warned against any attempt to "drive a wedge" between Hamas' leaders: "Hamas confirms the credibility of its leaders, as we all adopt the same stance and stress the same issues," he told Maan.

Also on Saturday, Hamas denied reports suggesting its leaders had agreed to meet with Fatah to resume reconciliation talks.

Hamas official Ismail al-Ashkar told Maan that no such agreement had been reached, Adding that there were communications Fatah.

Dudi Cohen and AP contributed to this report

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