Iran and Israel are not exactly on speaking terms. In 2012, former Iranian President Ahmadinejad said at the UN that Israel would be “eliminated”. From the Israeli side, reports have suggested that Prime Minister Netanyahu had to be restrained from bombing Iran several years ago.
Relations between the two nations may be tense, but in an unexpected move, Netanyahu last week sent a personal appeal to the Iranian people via Facebook.
In a video posted to the official page of the Israeli Prime Minister, Netanyahu delivered a message for “every Iranian” in English with Farsi subtitles.
“I know you'd prefer to live without fear. I know you'd want to be able to speak freely,” he said.
“You have a proud history. You have a rich culture. Tragically, you are shackled by a theocratic tyranny.”
“By calling daily for Israel's destruction, the regime hopes to instill hostility between us,” Netanyahu added. “This is wrong. We are your friend, not your enemy. We've always distinguished between the Iranian people and the Iranian regime."
“Our two peoples can work together for a more peaceful and hopeful future for both of us. We must defeat terror and tyranny and we must ensure that freedom and friendship win the day,” he concluded.
Netanyahu also expressed solidarity with members of the opposition “Green Movement” in Iran.
Unimpressed, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry responded to Netanyahu’s somewhat surprising speech at a news conference on Monday.
Bahran Ghasemi said that “Netanyahu ought to stop the massacres against the Palestinian people, and not talk about Iran, the Iranian people or the Plasco incident [in which dozens died last week when a burning building collapsed in Tehran].”
The Israeli Prime Minister made his comments prior to speaking with newly inaugurated American President Trump on Sunday, in what was described as “a very warm conversation”. During the phonecall, Trump promised close consultation with Israel in “addressing the threats posed by Iran,” according to The Times of Israel.
The new US President has previously hinted that he would dismantle “the horrible [nuclear] deal” which lifted sanctions on Iran in 2015, a move that Israel supports.
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