By JPOST.COM STAFFiranian soccer fans 248.88(photo credit: AP)
The Iranian Football Association inadvertently sent a New Year's greeting to its Israeli counterpart on Thursday.
The greeting was sent by e-mail from Mohammed Ardebili, who heads the Iranian Football Association's foreign relations department.
Army Radio managed to get hold of Ardebili on the phone.
"This is a greeting sent to the entire world," he said. "Are you speaking from Israel? I can't speak to you. This is a mistake, this is a mistake."
Israel Football Association spokesman Gil Lebanony told the radio station Thursday that although the IFA was surprised to receive the e-mail, it did not hesitate in sending a response.
"Attorney Amir Navon, head of our legal department, actually received the mail," he said. "He came into my office and asked me if it was a mistake. I said, 'I don't know, but let's send a response'."
"So, we responded, 'We thank you for your Happy New Year greeting and wish all of the good people in Iran a happy new year,' and added a wink in the mail," Lebanony said. "We also expressed our hopes that they will have a good year of soccer."
