Arafat congratulates Iran on anniversary of revolution
GAZA CITY, Feb 11 (AFP) - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Thursday
sent messages congratulating Iranians on the 20th anniversary of the Islamic
revolution which toppled the Shah, the Palestinian news agency reported.
Arafat sent one message to President Mohammed Khatami and a second to
former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Wafa reported.
"We will soon share in celebrations by the Palestinian people on
the foundation of an independent state with its capital in Jerusalem where
we will pray together, God willing," the message to Rafsanjani said.
Despite the warmth of Arafat's message, Palestinian-Iranian relations
have historically been vexed, particularly since the founding of the Palestinian
Authority in 1994.
Arafat visited Iran last year for the Organization of the Islamic Conference
(OIC) summit meeting where he met with Khatami.
But the Palestinian Authority has directed a number of broadsides at
Iranian regime for its alleged support of the militant groups Islamic Jihad
and Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
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