Watan-Pictures emerged from the meeting of the Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, and his accompanying delegation in Tehran, during their meeting with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In these pictures, the latter was seen wearing his shoes while the Palestinian resistance leaders sat barefoot, sparking questions on social media platforms about a possible disrespect or whether protocols in Iran permit such behavior.
Some speculated that it might be normal, attributing it to Khamenei wearing special indoor shoes within the meeting venue in Tehran, which are not worn outside, while Hamas leaders had to take off their shoes as they were intended for outdoor use, not indoor.
لماذا التقى قادة حماس وبينهم اسماعيل هنية مع خامئنى وهم حفاة بينما كان وهو يرتدى حذائة pic.twitter.com/D8O0aOPtZt
— عبدالله ضيف (@111111_abdallah) March 27, 2024
The images spread like wildfire, raising questions about whether Khamenei intentionally disrespected the Hamas leaders, even if the shoes were indeed indoor footwear.
Some asserted that wearing shoes undermined the dignity of the guests, portraying them in an inappropriate light that doesn’t befit the stature of Palestinian resistance leaders.
According to some media reports, the custom of removing shoes in Iran is customary in homes and places of prayer and is also widespread in many Islamic countries.
According to the Iranian official news agency, Khamenei mentioned in the meeting that Iran “will not hesitate to support the Palestinian cause and the oppressed and resistant people of Gaza, praising the exemplary resilience of the Palestinian resistance forces and the people of Gaza.”
قال إسماعيل هنية، أحد كبار مسؤولي حماس، مخاطبا آية الله خامنئي:
وأؤكد لكم أنه رغم كل ما يحدث في غزة من وحشية وجرائم وإبادة جماعية، إلا أن أهل غزة وقوى المقاومة صامدون بقوة ولن يسمحوا للعدو الصهيوني بتحقيق أهدافه.#غزه_تقاوم_وتنتصر pic.twitter.com/6Hk3KZfJ8X— h.j (@OvHBcrz31bWPEm1) March 26, 2024
The same source quoted Haniyeh as saying, “The exemplary patience and steadfastness of the people of Gaza and the resistance forces during these six months, resulting from their strong faith, have prevented the Zionist enemy from achieving any of its strategic objectives in the Gaza war.”
Haniyeh added, “The Gaza war is a global war, and the ruling body in America is a key partner in the Zionist crimes because it directly oversees the military guidance of the Zionist entity.”
🔴رییسی در دیدار با اسماعیل هنیه: به حمایت از آرمان فلسطین افتخار می کنیم. pic.twitter.com/ucmIFGkWcE
— Iranian Congress (@IranianCongress) March 27, 2024
It’s worth mentioning that Haniyeh met with the Iranian President in Tehran on Wednesday, with the explanation being that Khamenei is accustomed to wearing indoor shoes within the meeting venue where he met with the Palestinian resistance leaders.