The mere existence of Israel is contrary to Tehran's national interests, media reports said Monday, quoting former Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati, currently a top advisor to Iran's supreme leader.
"One of the elements of progress in a country is regional cooperation. Israel was created to prevent unity and cooperation between Islamic countries, that is why the existence of Israel is in contradiction with the national interests of Iran," Velayati was quoted as saying by the Ressalat newspaper.
"Today, there is a close spiritual relationship between Palestinian fighters and the Islamic republic, and this cannot be ignored," he added, saying that the "new step in the Palestinian struggle has been influenced by the Islamic revolution and the Lebanese Hizbullah." (Albawaba.com)
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