A former president of Iran believes the Islamic theocracy can peacefully co-exist with Israel as “brothers and sisters” and has defended his chequered record on human rights. Dr Seyed Mohammad Khatami’s visit to Australia has attracted criticism from some in the Jewish community who have questioned his reformist credentials. The former leader of Iran told a Canberra audience on Tuesday Iran had a history of living peacefully with its neighbours, putting him at odds with Iran’s current hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was reported in 2005 to have said he wanted Israel “wiped off the map”.
