Just hours after the announcement of a diplomatic summit between PM Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas this coming Tuesday, the Israeli daily Maariv reported that he plans to visit Iran in the coming days – possibly even before Tuesday’s summit.
Iran extended an invitation to the PA leader, also known as Abu Mazen, while he was visiting Turkey. A PA official told Reuters today, “Abu Mazen did receive an invitation to visit Iran. He accepted the invitation and will decide on a date the moment he returns.”
A source in the Iranian Foreign Ministry told Maariv that the visit would indeed take place in the very near future. The source said that the invitation was issued because Iran is interested in “friendly relations with the Palestinian government just as it has with the various Palestinian factions.”
The Iranian source stressed that Iran’s invitation should not be construed as an endorsement of any sort of “peace process,” though “Iran has always supported a Palestinian state.” Iran has also long supported various terror groups, including Hamas and Hizbullah.
In December 2004, Iranian newspaper Al-Watan reported that the PA was conducting talks with Syria and Iran. The talks were spearheaded by Fatah Chairman Farouk Khadoumi during his visit to Teheran.
Iran extended an invitation to the PA leader, also known as Abu Mazen, while he was visiting Turkey. A PA official told Reuters today, “Abu Mazen did receive an invitation to visit Iran. He accepted the invitation and will decide on a date the moment he returns.”
A source in the Iranian Foreign Ministry told Maariv that the visit would indeed take place in the very near future. The source said that the invitation was issued because Iran is interested in “friendly relations with the Palestinian government just as it has with the various Palestinian factions.”
The Iranian source stressed that Iran’s invitation should not be construed as an endorsement of any sort of “peace process,” though “Iran has always supported a Palestinian state.” Iran has also long supported various terror groups, including Hamas and Hizbullah.
In December 2004, Iranian newspaper Al-Watan reported that the PA was conducting talks with Syria and Iran. The talks were spearheaded by Fatah Chairman Farouk Khadoumi during his visit to Teheran.