Hamas foreign minister Mohammed Awad was in Tehran on Saturday for meetings with senior officials including Iran´s top diplomat and a security chief, Iranian media reported.

During his visit, which had been unannounced, Awad met with Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and Saeed Jalili, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, the reports said.

"Palestine belongs to the Islamic world and must be freed. Thank God, victory is near," Jalili said during their encounter.

Awad, for his part, thanked "the Islamic Republic of Iran for its practical support" for the Palestinian cause.

"The liberation of Palestine has been promised by Allah, and we must make new initiatives and lead efforts to realise that promise," he was quoted as saying.

Israel views the Islamist movement Hamas which rules the Gaza Strip as a terrorist group and has accused Iran of being its main arms supplier. (Copyright © 2012 Agence France Presse. 05/12/12)