Nine Iranian political prisoners denounced both Hamas and Israel actions in Gaza, warning that potential Iranian involvement would benefit the Islamic Republic.

In a statement released from the Evin Prison, the political prisoners took to task Tehran’s “proxy and devastating policies” in the region, stressing that the war is a “blessing” for reactionary rulers.

“The eight-year Iran-Iraq war helped stabilize the regime and the killing of thousands of political prisoners” at that time, the statement added.

They warned that in the event of the expansion of the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict, the Iranian regime would intensify its crackdown against civil and political activists, women and student movements, and religious minorities such as the Baha'i community.

Anisha Asadollahi, Golrokh Iraee, Reza Shahabi, Keyvan Mohtadi, and Arash Johari are among the signatories of this statement.

Earlier in the month, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman, warned that the Israel-Gaza War bolsters repression inside Iran by deflecting attention from internal criticism of the regime.

The political prisoners also questioned the sincerity of Tehran’s claims regarding its support of the Palestinian cause.

“The government, responsible for the deaths of thousands of children and teenagers in the past year and beyond, is now attempting to mask its reactionary nature under the guise of defending the Palestinian people,” read the statement.

Iran witnessed massive protests last year after Mahsa Jina Amini, a 22-year-old girl, lost her life in morality police custody for not observing mandatory hijab codes. According to reports, more than 500 people, including children and teenagers, were killed by the regime’s security forces last year.