[R-G] Ahmadinejad Backs Mashaie for Saying Iran Was "a Friend of the Israeli People"

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

<http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f2f0ffb2-85b9-11dd-a1ac-0000779fd18c.html>
Ahmadi-Nejad backs aide over Israel

By Najmeh Bozorgmehr in Tehran

Published: September 18 2008 22:34 | Last updated: September 18 2008 22:34

Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad, Iran's president, defied politicians and senior
clergy on Thursday by backing remarks made by one of his closest aides
over friendship with the Israeli people.

Although Mr Ahmadi-Nejad is more used to attacking Israel and
predicting its demise, he defended Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei, the
vice-president for tourism, against calls to sack him for saying Iran
was "a friend of [the] Israeli people".

The president on Thursday made the first public defence of Mr Mashaei,
saying his government was, in any case, acting independently of the
Qom-based senior clergy.

While reiterating that the Israeli government was "illegitimate", he
said Iran's policy was friendship with the Israeli people, who had
been used as "human shields" for the regime's "atrocities".

Iran's government faces mounting pressure at home for spiralling
inflation and abroad because of its refusal to abide by United Nations
resolutions to suspend its uranium enrichment programme.

Some analysts say the Israeli remarks are Mr Ahmadi-Nejad's way of
soothing tensions with the west, particularly as Iran continues to
defy the international community over its nuclear programme. He
dismissed the threat of a new round of sanctions after the
International Atomic Energy Agency this week criticised Iranian
co-operation.

Mr Ahmadi-Nejad made the comments ahead of his trip to New York to
attend the UN General Assembly.

Despite his radicalism and defiant attitude, the Iranian president
would, analysts say, like to be the first Iranian leader to make
significant contact with the US after decades of enmity.

"Mr Ahmadi-Nejad seemingly thinks the route to Washington goes through
Tel Aviv, which has made his government raise the issue of friendship
with the Israeli people," said Mohammad-Ali Abtahi, a former
vice-president. "But he would be allowed by higher authorities
[Ayatollah Kham­enei] to go only as far as nothing significant happens
between Iran and the US."

<http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/story/2008/09/080918_ba-ahmadinejad-pconfrence.shtml>
احمدی‌نژاد: حرف مشایی حرف دولت است