On Tuesday, February 11th, the 47th anniversary of the victory of the Iranian Revolution, Al-Ahrar Palestinian Prisoner Support attended the third online international seminar of The Masar Badil: The Palestinian Alternative Revolutionary Path Movement with Jordanian researcher and writer Dr. Fatima Al-Smadi.
The seminar was hosted by various organizations of the Masar Badil movement including Alkarama Palestinian Women’s Movement, Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, and Tariq El-Tahrir Youth and Student Network.
This seminar comes at a time when understanding the historical and ongoing relationship between Palestine and Iran is crucial to winning the battle of consciousness that we are engaged in. Now more than ever must we have political clarity in our denunciations of U.S. imperialism, war, and barbarism in the region, just as we must have the same political clarity in our uplifting of regional revolutionary forces who are on the frontlines waging and winning this battle.
Long live the Iranian Revolution, long live Sayyed Ali Khameini, and down with U.S. imperialism! U.S. military bases out of West Asia! Free Palestine!
Watch the full seminar at the following link: https://masarbadil.org/en/2026/02/7623/
Palestine & Iran
Dr. Fatima Al-Smadi became interested in Iran during her Master’s degree in the early 2000s during which she conducted a comparative study on women’s participation in Islamic parties, like Hezbollah. This led her to think about the value of knowing and engaging with her neighbour, especially as most scholars and writers in the Arab world who study Iran have never been to the country and do not speak Farsi. Dr. Al-Smadi has since taken on this project and for over a decade has been working on a book that dives into the relationship between Hamas and Iran that “covers a gap of knowledge in the Arab world because there are no books, approaches, or theses that document this relationship.”
During Dr. Al-Smadi’s seminar, she repeatedly emphasized the need for the Arab masses to find ways to get in touch with the Iranian people. Lines of contact and dialogue are very important and a sectarian lens distorts the correct interpretation of the region, she said. Iranian support of Resistance movements must be engaged with by Arabs and Iranians alike, she continued.
“The Palestinian cause is a common cause… the Palestinian cause brings us all together,” Dr. Al-Smadi said. After the Iranian Revolution, though, Palestine transitioned from a cause to an internal tenet and principle that actually determines policy, specifically it is a key detail and determinant of foreign policy. Martyr General Qassem Soleimani of Iran was the one who raised the slogan that one who sacrifices their life only for Iran will not have any decisive role to play in their country’s affairs.
It was martyr General Soleimani that also said that the relationship between the fields is not one of dependency. Iran and Hamas have had many disagreements, but ultimately respect what is best for one another and their struggles. Therefore, Dr. Al-Smadi clarified, there is inaccurate discourse claiming Iran is imposing conditions on Palestinian support because of ideological disagreements.
The building of trust over many years between Iran and the Palestinian factions (the foremost being Hamas) has supported armament, consolidated relationships, and training and coordination has increased and taken on a different shape entirely. This is an important development primarily as a result of the transfer of the relationship with Hamas and other factions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the IRGC.
Recent Protest Escalations are the “13th Day of the War Against Iran”
January and February 2026 protest escalations in Iran, Dr. Al-Smadi argued, are but a continuation of last year’s 12 Day War. Although initial protests raised legitimate concerns through non-violent means, weapons were eventually introduced by Gulf countries and organized killings of people and destruction of vital infrastructure ensued by counter-revolutionaries.
Dr. Al-Smadi cited attacks on 305 ambulance cars, 24 gas stations, 27 businesses, 300 houses, hundreds of banks and government buildings, hundreds of schools, mosques, and libraries, 253 bus stations, and 800 cars of citizens— all to instigate chaos against a country already facing imperialist strikes on various fronts. The escalated protests and destruction, she said, were focused on cities where missiles were launched from: an important indicator of Mossad interference— not to mention their own statements of admission.
During the 12 Day War, U.S. President Donald Trump said the only option for Iran was capitulation. This has proven to be untrue, affirmed Dr. Al-Smadi. Trump also said that the U.S. destroyed the Iranian nuclear program, yet also simultaneously asks for it to be dismantled. How can it be dismantled when you claim it is destroyed, asked Dr. Al-Smadi. American military feats were not made, the Iranian government is not toppled.
“A Battle of Consciousness” & Two-Sideism in the Western Left
The Iranian government is a legitimate one with a 50% participation rate in recent election processes and broad participation in celebrating the triumph of the Revolution on February 11th of this year, Dr. Al-Smadi explained. Many slogans of the Iranian Revolution have not yet been achieved, particularly the ones related to social justice, but the one of independence, however, has been achieved which is of great importance. There is also a social welfare program with health insurance and other aspects that are not even present in the U.S. at the moment.
On the topic of propaganda, Dr. Al-Smadi referenced a video spread around social media in recent weeks claiming people in Gaza were refusing aid from Iran. This is untrue, she clarified, and identifying and rejecting this propaganda is part of the battle of consciousness that we must be careful in addressing. This is the same rhetoric around the Zionist entity and Iran supposedly being “two sides of the same coin” which is not an accurate interpretation. “It is naive and not true to the region’s reality,” Dr. Al-Smadi said.
Dr. Al-Smadi asserted that a part of the Left has betrayed its history with many Lefitst figures now advocating for relationships with the Zionist entity. The U.S. has destroyed countries around the world through their imperial endeavours, this hegemonic power is not comparable to the Iranian government.
Watch the Masar Badil’s Previous Seminars:
International Seminar on Regional Developments with Ammar Moussawi of Hezbollah
International Seminar with the Resistance: Hussam Badran of Hamas
The Situation of Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon
Read Al-Ahrar’s Reportback on the Seminar with Hussam Badran:
Al-Ahrar Attends The Masar Badil’s 2nd International Seminar with Hamas Leader Hussam Badran
