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Last update - 00:00 11/08/2008
Iran VP: Iranians are friends of all people - even Israelis
By The Associated Press
Tags: Israel, Iran 

Iran's vice president has said the Iranians are friends of all people in the world - even Israelis, Tehran state media reported on Monday.

It's a rare comment from a government official in Iran, whose president
regularly calls for Israel's destruction.
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Several newspapers and the official Web site of Iran's tourism agency on
Monday attributed the comment to Vice President Esfandiar Rahim Mashai.

Mashai is in charge of Iranian tourism and historical sites.

It is believed to be the first time an official Iranian government Web site has carried an expression of sympathy by an Iranian vice president toward Israelis.

In late July, Mashai made similar comments, saying: "Iran wants no war with any country, and today Iran is friend of the United States and even Israel.... Our achievements belong to the whole world and should be used for expanding love and peace."

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad prompted international criticism when he said in 2005 that he believed Israel should be wiped off the map.

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      1.   Jerusalem Post Contains clarification 11:36  |  Slibovitz 11/08/08
      2.   So Go Swimming with an Israeli! 11:49  |  Slibovitz 11/08/08
      3.   Iran to be commended, in stark contrast to Israli saber rattling 12:31  |  Ivar 11/08/08
      4.   Israeli and Irani people always were and always be best friends 13:34  |  negotiate NOW! 11/08/08
      5.   How true,how commedable! If only the evil state and its senior 14:11  |  lakshmi 11/08/08
      6.   Does he include himself among Iranians? 14:16  |  Hairdresser 11/08/08
      7.   Does your president know this? 15:28  |  Dan 11/08/08
      8.   IVAR Ignoring all the Mullah threats to Israel since Khomeini 15:51  |  PETER SM 11/08/08
      9.   #5 Lak I think that "Evil nation" just be only Iran 16:19  |  JP 11/08/08
      10.   Ivar and Lakshmi continue to lie to themselves! 16:29  |  DR 11/08/08
      11.   LAKSHMI Ahmadinejad the imposed PM sound friendly to you 16:33  |  PETER SM 11/08/08
      12.   After that, Iranian VP was found unconscious 16:36  |  Iran radio News 11/08/08
      13.   Germans were friends of all people, even Jews. But HITLER wasn`t. 16:58  |  Vittorio 11/08/08
      14.   THIS HEADLINE JUST GOT PROVEN TO BE A LIE;DID NOT ONE OF THEIR 18:19  |  glenna 11/08/08
      15.   To Glenna 21:16  |  Persian Kitty 20/08/08
      16.   luv thy enemies 18:23  |  RME 19/04/09
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