Nieuwsartikel 2004

Iranian leader talks to Israeli

Iran's president has told an Israeli reporter he favours a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mohammad Khatami was responding to a question in what is believed to be the first time the Iranian leader has publicly spoken to an Israeli.

Mr Khatami took the question at a news conference at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Iran has frequently called for the Jewish state's destruction and the two countries are bitter foes.

A reporter from the Israeli newspaper Maariv asked Mr Khatami under what conditions Iran might recognise the State of Israel.

Maariv said Mr Khatami looked "visibly uneasy" at being addressed by an Israeli but answered nonetheless.

"Arab journalists covering the Davos conference were stunned by Khatami's decision to publicly reply to an Israeli correspondent," the paper said in its report.

'Peace and brotherhood'

Mr Khatami said Iran had a "moral problem with Israel because of the occupation" of Palestinian land.

"Occupation does not bring legitimacy," he said, adding that it was "very dangerous to occupy somewhere and then claim ownership of that land".

"At the same time, we do not interfere in the matters of others and we will respect the Palestinian people's decision," the Iranian president said.

"Any decision they make will be acceptable to us."

The Iranian leader said Iran wanted a "type of state and government in that part of the world where Jews, Christians and Muslims can live in peace and in brotherhood with each other".

Iran severed relations with Israel following the 1979 Iranian revolution.

Israel accuses Iran of funding and equipping Islamic militant groups fighting Israel, a charge Iran denies.