The Middle East does not and never had any record of anti-Semitism, Iran's top diplomat contended on Friday.
In an interview posted on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's website, Mohammad Javad Zarif denied that the Middle East was affected by anti-Semitism, calling such claims "propaganda."
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
"Those who have an anti-Semitic background live somewhere else in the world. In this region, we do not have a record of anti-Semitism. People of the region have always hosted – and continue to host – Jews in a warm manner," Zarif said. "No one can portray Muslims and Iranians – people of the region who have a record of saving Jews – as anti-Semites."
According to the Jerusalem Post, Zarif made the comments while discussing Tehran's position on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and Trump administration's regional peace plan.
He further stressed that the conflict could be resolved only through "democracy and resistance."
Iran has been trying to increase its grip on the Middle East, mainly by sponsoring terrorist groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, and a host of insurgency groups elsewhere in the region.
Zarif, who referred to these efforts as "building the 'axis of resistance,'" stated that the "goal of the resistance is clear," but added that democracy is "a very important player as well."
