Iran–Israel relations

Relations between Iran and Israel have alternated from close political alliances between the two states during the era of the Pahlavi dynasty to hostility following the rise to power of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

The history of the Persian Jews has been uninterrupted for over 2,500 years. It is a Mizrahi Jewish community in the territory of today's Iran, the historical core of the former Persian Empire, which began as early as the 8th century BCE, at the time of captivity of the ancient Israelites in Khorasan.

As of 2005, Iran has the largest Jewish population in the Middle East outside of Israel. A larger population of Iranian Jews reside in Israel with the President of Israel Moshe Katsav, the Defense Minister, former Chief of Staff Shaul Mofaz and Israeli hip-hop star Kobi Shimoni (Subliminal) being the most famous of this group.

Pre-revolution relations

Upon its establishment in 1948 and until the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Israel enjoyed cordial relations with Iran (then ruled by the Pahlavi dynasty). Iran was one of the first nations to internationally recognize Israel, and was considered Israel's closest Muslim friend. In spite of this, Iran voted in support of the UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 in 1975 which equated Zionism with racism, as did 72 other countries. However, Iran and Israel did develop close military ties during this period. This can be seen from the development of joint venture military projects, such as Project Flower, the Iranian-Israelli attempt to develop a new missile [1].

Islamic Revolution

It was Ayatollah Khomeini who first declared Israel as an "enemy of Islam" during the second Pahlavi period in his campaign against Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who supported Israel.

After the second phase of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which witnessed the establishment of the Islamic Republic, Iran withdrew its recognition of the state of Israel and cut off all official relations.

However, Iran is said to have purchased weapons valued at $2.5 billion from Israel through third party intermediaries during the Iran-Iraq war during the 1980s [2][3] and the 1990s (an Israeli source) [4]. This has been alleged to have been part of the Iran-Contra scandal.

In 1998, Israeli businessman Nahum Manbar was sentenced to 16 years in prison in Israel for doing business with Tehran, and in the course of the investigation, "hundreds of companies" were found to have illegal business dealings with Iran. [5]

Khatami

File:Khatami Katsav.jpg

President of Israel Moshe Katsav seen standing next to Iran's then president Mohammad Khatami. Israel's president himself was born in Iran.

Under reformist Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, elected in 1997, some believed Iran and Israel would work to improve relations. While at first Khatami's election did not seem to change anything—he called Israel an "illegal state" and a "parasite," [6] signs of small moderation did appear. For example, Khatami has said that Jews should be "safe in Iran" and that all religious minorities should be protected [7]. In January 2004, he spoke to an Israeli reporter who asked him on what grounds Iran would recognize Israel. This was believed to be the first time he had spoken publicly with an Israeli [8].

At the funeral of Pope John Paul II in April 2005, Khatami was seated close to Israeli President Moshe Katsav. Katsav said that he shook Khatami's hand and the two had a brief conversation about Iran (Katsav was born in Iran). However, Khatami denied this [9].

Ahmadinejad

As of 2006 relations between the two states became very tense primarily due to the surprise election of an unknown in Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. After his election, Ahmadinejad frequently began to call for an end to the state of Israel. "occupying regime of Al-Quds" to be "wiped off the map"..

On December 8, 2005, Ahmadinejad gave an interview with Iran's Arabic channel 'Al-Alam' during a summit of Muslim nations in Islam's holy city of Mecca:

"Some European countries insist on saying that during World War II, Hitler burned millions of Jews and put them in concentration camps," Ahmadinejad said. "Any historian, commentator or scientist who doubts that is taken to prison or gets condemned. Although we don't accept this claim, if we suppose it is true, if the Europeans are honest they should give some of their provinces in Europe—like in Germany, Austria or other countries—to the Zionists and the Zionists can establish their state in Europe. You offer part of Europe and we will support it."

Iran-Israel military relations

According to the report of the U.S. Congressional Committees Investigating the Iran-Contra Affair issued in November of 1987, "the sale of U.S. arms to Iran through Israel began in the summer of 1985, after receiving the approval of President Reagan." [10] These sales included "2,008 TOW missiles and 235 parts kits for Hawk missiles had been sent to Iran via Israel." Further shipments of up to US$2 billion of American weapons from Israel to Iran consisting of 18 F-4 fighter-bombers, 46 Skyhawk fighter-bombers, and nearly 4,000 missiles were folied by the U.S. Department of Justice, and "unverified reports alleged that Israel agreed to sell Iran Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, radar equipment, mortar and machinegun ammunition, field telephones, M-60 tank engines and artillery shells, and spare parts for C-130 transport planes."[11] [12] The London Observer also estimated that Israel's arms sales to Iran during the war totalled US$ 500 million annually [13], and Time Magazine reported that throughout 1981 and 1982, "the Israelis reportedly set up Swiss bank accounts to handle the financial end of the deals." [14] (For more on Israeli Hawk missile sales to Iran see Richard Johns, "Arms Embargo Which Cannot Withstand The Profit Motive," Financial Times (London), 13 November 1987)

Israel also was involved in the arming of Iran prior to the Iran-Iraq war:

• Project "Flower" Tzur, a joint collaboration between Iran and Israel, aimed to develop a "state-of-the-art sea-to-sea missile, an advanced version of the U.S. Harpoon missile, with a range of 200 kilometers." (See: Ronen Bergman, "5 billion Reasons to Talk to Iran," Haaretz (Tel Aviv), 19 March 1999; in "Israel's Outstanding Debt to Iran Viewed," FBIS Document FTS19990319001273, 19 March 1999.
• Israeli Defense Minister General Ezer Weizmann and Iranian Vice Minister of War General Hasan Toufanian discussed the co-production of Israel's Jericho-2 missile, code named Project Flower. (See: "Minutes from Meeting Held in Tel Aviv between H. E. General M. Dayan, Foreign Minister of Israel, and H.E. General H. Toufanian, Vice Minister of War, Imperial Government of Iran," Top Secret Minutes from Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 18 July 1977, in Digital National Security Archive)

Israeli arms deals to Iran continued after the war, although sporadically and unofficially. [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]

Perceptions of Israeli threats to attack Iran during 2003-2006

A Scottish newspaper claimed in November 2003 that Israel warned that it is prepared to take unilateral military action against Iran if the international community fails to stop any development of nuclear weapons at the country's atomic energy facilities. It cited Israeli defence minister Shaul Mofaz stating, "under no circumstances would Israel be able to tolerate nuclear weapons in Iranian possession". In December 2005, a British newspaper claimed that the Israeli military had been ordered by Israeli prime minister (at that time) Ariel Sharon to plan for possible strikes on uranium enrichments sites in Iran in March 2006, based on Israeli intelligence estimates that Iran would be able to build nuclear weapons in two to four years. It was claimed that the special forces command was in the highest stage of readiness for an attack (state G) in December. Ariel Sharon reportedly said, "Israel - and not only Israel - cannot accept a nuclear Iran. We have the ability to deal with this and we're making all the necessary preparations to be ready for such a situation." Israeli military Chief of Staff, Daniel Halutz, was quoted as responding to the question of how far Israel was ready to go to stop Iran's nuclear energy program with the statement "Two thousand kilometers".

Seymour Hersh has also claimed that US Department of Defense civilians led by Douglas Feith have been working with Israeli planners and consultants to develop and refine potential nuclear, chemical-weapons, and missile targets inside Iran.

Israel is estimated to have between 200-400 nuclear weapons and well-developed missile delivery systems, but there are neither confirmations nor denials nor other information regarding the intent to use them in the operations allegedly being planned.

On 08 May 2006, Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres said in an interview with Reuters that "the president of Iran should remember that Iran can also be wiped off the map," Army Radio reported. Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, drew unusually stiff criticism from an analyst on Israel's state television, Yoav Limor, for talking of destroying another country.

On May 26 2006, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov reiterated Moscow's commitment to supply Iran with sophisticated anti-aircraft missiles.

See also

• Persian Jews
• Foreign relations of Iran
• Foreign relations of Israel
• U.S.-Iran relations
• Iran-Contra Affair
• Iran-Iraq War
• Cyrus the Great
• Karine A
• Hezbollah

External links

• The Iran-Israel misconception - Analysis of how Iran views Israel and determines its Israel policy.
• More sources on the Manbar Trial
• CNN on the Manbar Trial
• Iran Inquiry and Analysis Page of MEMRI.ORG