Hamas would never acknowledge the Israeli state, said Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Palestinian movement in Gaza, on Friday in Tehran, dpa reported.
"They (West) want from us to stop resistance and acknowledge Israel but I herewith announce that this will never happen," Haniyeh said though an interpreter at a ceremony marking the 33rd anniversary of the 1979 Iranian revolution.
"Our message and the message of all those who lost their blood in the Palestinian lands is that all occupied lands will eventually be liberated from Israeli occupation," Haniyeh said.
He thanked Iran for its constant support for Palestinian resistance groups and called on maintaining unity in the Islamic world.
Haniyeh arrived in Tehran on Friday and is to meet President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran, which does not recognize the state of Israel, is a supporter of Hamas but has constantly denied providing any financial and military aid to the movement.