Iran: We didn't pay PA USD 50 million yet
In spite of pledge made to cash-strapped Palestinian Authority, Iran says it has yet to transfer aid, suggests process for payment still being discussed
The donation was announced in April to make up a shortfall left by an aid cut-off by the United States and the European Union and Israel’s freezing of the transfer tax and customs receipts to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian government.
“The process of that USD 50 million contribution is in the phase of decision-making now ... The payment that I talked about has not been paid yet,” Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told a news conference at a regional ministerial meeting. He gave no further details.
Iran condemns Israeli offensive
Israel has launched an offensive in Gaza to press the Hamas-led government, which is already on the brink of financial collapse, to help free an Israeli soldier who was abducted by terrorists in a cross-border raid on June 25.
The offensive also aims to halt rocket fire on Israeli cities.
Foreign ministers from Iraq’s neighboring countries meeting in Tehran, where Mottaki made his comments, issued a statement condemning the Israeli offensive.
Iran’s Islamic government has never recognized Israel and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad regularly condemns the Jewish state in his speeches. Last year, he called for Israel to be “wiped off the map”.
