Former Iranian cleric: We have no problem with Israel
Former senior Iranian cleric calls for an end to hostilities between Iran and Israel in interview on Israeli TV.
Abdol-Hamid Masoumi-Tehrani, a former senior Iranian cleric, spoke to Israel’s
Channel 12 News on Monday and called for an end to hostilities between Iran and Israel.
Tehrani, whose "ayatollah" title was revoked by Tehran following disagreements with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said, "I have been speaking in the most transparent way possible for 20 years. I sit in Tehran and do not work for any country, organization or group. If they do not like me talking to you or anyone else – it is their problem. We have no problem with Israel or any with other country in the world."
He criticized Khamenei and said, "In 1986, when he was elected as the Supreme Leader of Iran, due to my previous knowledge of him and his behavior, I claimed that he would surely destroy both the religion and the country. Because of that and because I opposed him, I spent five years in prison. This disagreement continues to this day."
"Unfortunately, because our regime is dictatorial and limited to the rule of one person who does not care about the thoughts of most of the public in Iran, the people here cannot protest quietly and the regime suppresses them violently," Tehrani said of the political situation in Iran.
Asked what the average Iranian thinks of Israel, he replied, "You must understand that Iranians and Jews have a long history of friendship. From what I see and hear in conversations with people here, I have not encountered Iranians who have a bad opinion of Israel. It is time for the Iranian regime to stop inventing enemies that do not exists."
Tehrani asserted Israel has nothing to fear from Iran's threats. "I do not think this talk (about the destruction of Israel) is serious. Do not forget that Saddam Hussein made similar claims and we know where he is today."
Former senior Iranian cleric calls for an end to hostilities between Iran and Israel in interview on Israeli TV.
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