World

Iran VP says Iranians are `friends' of Israelis

TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian media are quoting the country's vice president as saying Iranians are "friends of all people in the world — even Israelis."

It is a rare instance of official Iranian media carrying an expression of sympathy toward Israelis from such a high-level official.

Several newspapers and the official Web site of Iran's tourism agency on Monday attributed the comment to Vice President Esfandiar Rahim Mashai, who is in charge of Iranian tourism and historical sites.

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

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