Iranian Monitor
23 Apr 2006, 06:38 AM
I didn't like the misleading title, but found the article itself interesting.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3242590,00.html
Israelis help rebuild Iran
Despite public anti-Israeli statements, Iran uses help of Israeli infrastructure consultants in rehabilitating earthquake-struck zones. 'Commercial cooperation between countries is stunning,' one expert says
...
Three Israeli infrastructure consultants who returned to Israel at the end of the week from a secret visit in Iran on the invitation of
a Tehran official, told Israel's leading daily Yedioth Ahronoth they were stunned by their stay in the country.
"We were amazed to discover the gap between Israel's public conflict with Iran, and the depth of the commercial cooperation between the countries, estimated at dozens of millions of dollars a year. We were greeted warmly and felt no hostility on the part of our hosts," one of the Israeli experts said.
...
The head of the mission, a 47-year-old Israeli who visited Iran five times in the last 15 years, recounted the visit. "Upon arriving at the airport in Tehran we were greeted by a government employee… from there we were taken to a luxurious hotel located near the Jewish district. We were escorted by a security guard during our entire stay."
...
"In recent years trade relations between Israel and Iran have blossomed in certain fields, mainly agriculture. The Iranians indirectly buy from Israel spare parts for machines, vegetable seeds, and water filtering systems," he stated.
...
Pesach in Tehran
In Tehran, the Israelis received a taste of a slightly different Iran. "In the evenings we went out in Tehran. Despite the fundamentalist Muslim appearance of its leaders, the capital's nightlife somewhat resemble the West's. There are a lot of youngsters who go out to discos, where the young women take off their veils and skirts and dance in jeans," he said.
The delegation also got to celebrate the Pesach holiday with the local Jewish community in Tehran, which comprises 26,000 people.
"They knew we were from Israel, although we did not mention it out loud. There were matzos and plenty of food and wine, everything you need for Pesach. The Jews there live their lives uninterrupted. They engage in trade and have their synagogues. However, since the new president's ascension to power, the atmosphere is definitely tense and the authorities guard the synagogues," he said.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3242590,00.html
Israelis help rebuild Iran
Despite public anti-Israeli statements, Iran uses help of Israeli infrastructure consultants in rehabilitating earthquake-struck zones. 'Commercial cooperation between countries is stunning,' one expert says
...
Three Israeli infrastructure consultants who returned to Israel at the end of the week from a secret visit in Iran on the invitation of
a Tehran official, told Israel's leading daily Yedioth Ahronoth they were stunned by their stay in the country.
"We were amazed to discover the gap between Israel's public conflict with Iran, and the depth of the commercial cooperation between the countries, estimated at dozens of millions of dollars a year. We were greeted warmly and felt no hostility on the part of our hosts," one of the Israeli experts said.
...
The head of the mission, a 47-year-old Israeli who visited Iran five times in the last 15 years, recounted the visit. "Upon arriving at the airport in Tehran we were greeted by a government employee… from there we were taken to a luxurious hotel located near the Jewish district. We were escorted by a security guard during our entire stay."
...
"In recent years trade relations between Israel and Iran have blossomed in certain fields, mainly agriculture. The Iranians indirectly buy from Israel spare parts for machines, vegetable seeds, and water filtering systems," he stated.
...
Pesach in Tehran
In Tehran, the Israelis received a taste of a slightly different Iran. "In the evenings we went out in Tehran. Despite the fundamentalist Muslim appearance of its leaders, the capital's nightlife somewhat resemble the West's. There are a lot of youngsters who go out to discos, where the young women take off their veils and skirts and dance in jeans," he said.
The delegation also got to celebrate the Pesach holiday with the local Jewish community in Tehran, which comprises 26,000 people.
"They knew we were from Israel, although we did not mention it out loud. There were matzos and plenty of food and wine, everything you need for Pesach. The Jews there live their lives uninterrupted. They engage in trade and have their synagogues. However, since the new president's ascension to power, the atmosphere is definitely tense and the authorities guard the synagogues," he said.