Rice Warns Iran Not to Fund Hamas

News Channel 15:

A blunt new warning to Iran from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. In an interview with Arab reporters, she says Iran has its own troubles with the international community. She adds Tehran "might want to think twice about enhancing those troubles" by bankrolling Hamas, which now leads the Palestinian government. READ MORE

The United States considers Hamas a terrorist group and Iran a patron of terrorism, and has no official dealings with either.

Amid her warning to Iran and Middle East countries not to fund Hamas, she also questioned whether the Islamic militant group could raise money without changing its policies.

Rice's Middle East trip next week is expected to be dominated by discussion of Hamas' surprise election victory in the Palestinian territories and the separate issue of Iran's disputed nuclear program.