Khamenei meets Hamas political leader Haniyeh in Tehran

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has received the head of the political office of the Palestinian organization Hamas in Tehran, the Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday.

Ismail Haniyeh travelled to the Iranian capital "a few days ago" for talks, the agency said, citing Osama Hamdan, a representative of the resistance movement in Lebanon.

Khamenei is considered the most powerful man in Iran and, as the religious leader, has the final say on all strategic issues.

Iranian media had not previously reported on the meeting - the trip was apparently kept secret. It remained unclear exactly when Haniyeh was in Tehran.

In recent weeks, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian had regularly exchanged views with Haniyeh on the Gaza war between Hamas and Israel.

Iran, a Shiite Muslim nation, maintains good relations with Hamas, which is Sunni. Israel has been Iran's declared arch-enemy since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.