World Tribune.com
Blanchard

Despite words of war, Iran quietly seeks Israeli aid

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Tuesday, November 14, 2000

LONDON — Iran might be advocating and paying tens of millions of dollars for Israel's destruction.

But quietly the Islamic republic continues to seek help from the Jewish state.

Arab and Israeli sources report that cooperation continues between Israeli companies and Iranian state institutions in such fields as agriculture and infrastructure. They said much of the cooperation is conducted through European companies.

The sources said Israel is quietly helping Iran with an infrastructure renewal project in Teheran. They said Israel and a French partner are reviewing Teheran's underground pipe and sewer network as part of a plan to install new systems.

The Israeli introduction to the project began in late 1998, the sources said, and was based on Israeli knowledge of the Teheran system. Israeli contractors helped build Teheran's sewage and other infrastructure systems in 1971 and has the maps from the work.

The London-based A-Sharq Al Awsat daily reported that Israel's government is also involved in the Iranian project. The daily said the government is involved in a program to establish a water and health-care network throughout Iran, which has been marked by rising unrest amid complaints of poor services and lack of democracy.

The newspaper said Israeli engineers and building contractors are involved in the Iranian projects. The Israelis are also helping to obtain foreign funding for the projects. The companies were not identified.

In 1998, an Israeli delegation arrived in Iran for an agricultural survey. Iran denied the visit, but Arab diplomatic sources confirmed that the delegation was sent from the Israeli Agriculture Ministry.

"The ties with Iran will not be affected by any decision to cut [Islamic] relations with Israel," said Yehoshua Meiri, head of the Tel Aviv-based Israeli-Arab Friendship Association, which forges business ties around the Middle East. "This is because they are based on economic and political decisions."

Meiri said Iran seeks -- through third parties -- to invest in infrastructure projects in Israel that will reduce transit routes and cut the price of oil shipping costs. One proposal is to revive the moribund Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline that will avoid the use of the Suez Canal, owned by Egypt.

On Monday, Saudi Arabia agreed to donate $100 million for development projects in Egypt as part of an effort to improve bilateral relations. In another development, Syria has resolved a $500 million debt to Iran.

Tuesday, November 14, 2000


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