Hamid Reza Asefi said. "The Zionist regime is not eligible to express any ideas since it is the source of tension, crisis and trouble in the region." Asefi also said that Iran will never recognize Israel even if there is a peace deal with the Palestinians and they have their own state. "Even if you envisage this impossible hypothesis, [and] to recognize a state is part of Iran's diplomatic right, in absolutely no case will Iran recognize the Zionist regime," he told journalists.
Reports that Israeli President Moshe Katsav had shaken hands with and spoken to his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Khatami at the funeral for Pope John Paul II caused a furor. The Israeli leader played down the alleged encounter as pure civilities while Khatami denied it ever happened. Asefi said Israel's recent actions show that the Jewish state is opposed to peace and security in the region and is intent on destroying regional trust. Last week, Sharon said Israel would not mount a unilateral attack on Iran's nuclear infrastructure and called instead for an international coalition to deal with it.