PLO official: Iran considering appointing ambassador to State of Palestine
Ahmed Majdalani discussed possibility of Iran's ambassador to Amman serving as a non-resident ambassador to Palestine with Iranian FM Zarif.
By JPOST.COM STAFF, KHALED ABU TOAMEHUpdated: AUGUST 18, 2015 18:32Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas gestures during a meeting in Ramallah(photo credit: REUTERS)
Iran has discussed the possibility of appointing an ambassador to Palestine, a senior PLO official said Tuesday.PLO Executive Committee member Ahmed Majdalani was quoted by the Bethlehem-based Ma'an News Agency as saying that he discussed the possibility of Iran's ambassador to Jordan serving as the non-resident ambassador to the State of Palestine with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.Majdalani said he discussed the matter with Zarif last week when he traveled to Iran to discuss ways of boosting ties between the PA and Iran in the aftermath of the nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.Majdalani said his talks in Iran focused on three issues: boosting bilateral relations, the Syrian crisis and the dispute between the PA and Hamas.During the visit, the PLO official delivered a letter from PA President Mahmoud Abbas to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.Majdalani said the two sides also agreed to work together in the international arena against Israel’s nuclear arsenal and weapons of mass destruction. He said the PA and Iran were planning to call for an international conference to discuss ways of disarming Israel.Abbas is planning to visit Iran in November for talks aimed at boosting relations between the two sides, Majdalani said last week.The last time Abbas visited Iran was in 2012, when he attended a conference of the Non-Aligned Countries.The rapprochement between Iran and the PA comes amid reports of mounting tensions between Tehran and Hamas. According to reports, the Iranians recently canceled a planned visit by Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal to Tehran in protest against his visit to Saudi Arabia last month.
