Israeli government sources are looking into a purported "message" from Iran that effectively states that Tehran wishes to "open talks with Israel", according to a report in an Israeli newspaper.
In its Thursday edition, Tel Aviv based Haaretz reported that Israel has asked a third party to make inquiries in Tehran and find out whether the supposed "message" is indeed serious.
According to the report, Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom have been advised of the "message", which was not delivered by direct means. The newspaper, however, declined to provide details on how the "message" was handed over.
Israel is deliberating whether the "message" is a sign of "real change" in the Islamic Republic, the report further said.
Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi denied in Tehran on Friday the claim by the Israeli newspaper that his country seeks talks with the Zionist regime, the official IRNA news agency reported Saturday.
According to the Information and Press Department of the Foreign Ministry, Asefi described the claim as "funny" and said such unfounded claims are "so baseless to be noticed". (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
