Iran destabilising Mid-East regimes, warns Peres
ISRAELI President Shimon Peres has told German leader Horst Koehler at a meeting in Berlin that Iran seeks to destabilise Mid-East regimes.
RONI SOFER
BERLIN — Israeli President Shimon Peres told his German counterpart, Horst Koehler, that Iran seeks to take control of the Middle East and destabilise the other regimes in the region.
“Ahmadinejad’s regime is openly calling for Israel’s destruction, denying the Holocaust, and preventing peace with the Palestinians. It is destabilising Lebanon and Yemen and trying to take over Iraq,” Peres said in a speech in Berlin on January 26.
Peres met earlier with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said additional sanctions may be imposed on Iran very soon.
“Today’s centre of terror is in Iran,” Peres said. “Terror is the military wing of Iran’s political ambitions. The Iranians aspire to take control of the Middle East and to destabilise existing regimes.”
Peres added that Israel would still strive for peace with the Palestinians.
“Israel is reaching out its hand for immediate renewal of negotiations. I call on our Palestinian neighbours to respond as soon as possible. The Israeli people support the establishment of two states: A Palestinian state beside the State of Israel living together in peace and mutual respect,” he said.
“Peace requires a majority, and an armed minority must not be allowed to thwart it. Hamas is preventing peace and preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state.”
Peres spoke just hours before Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak was scheduled to leave for a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in order to attempt to reach an understanding on the renewal of peace talks with the Palestinians.
Peres was also scheduled to speak on Wednesday (January 27) in honour of International Holocaust Day.
Meanwhile Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Poland for a ceremony marking the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
YNETNEWS
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