Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on Tuesday said that Israel’s violence and the hasty crackdown against the Palestinian Intifada would not help the “Zionist regime to survive.”
Khatami’s remarks came during a meeting with Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam, who delivered a written message from President Bashar Al Assad, reported the official Iranian news agency, IRNA.
Khatami expressed pleasure with the stance adopted by the
Islamic and Arab states concerning the Israeli aggression, and said that Islamic nations were required to support the Palestinian Intifada.
He praised Syria’s "firm stand" and said that the “Islamic Republic will stand by Syria and the oppressed Palestinians forever.”
For his part, Khaddam said that Syria had stood firm against Israel, adding that after the Lebanese victory over the Jewish state and the eruption of the Palestinian Intifada, Israel had been exposed to a great crisis.
He said that Syria did not seek war, but noted that if war
was "imposed" on Syria, it would "take action."
He also said that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's behavior was seen as disgusting in the West.
Tehran does not recognize Israel and favors a peace plan which would see the return of all Palestinian refugees, followed by a referendum on the future of the Occupied Territories – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
