Al-Zahar and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki
PA minister: Iran gave USD 120 million to Hamas gov't
Palestinian Foreign Minister al-Zahar says Tehran vowed to donate another USD 50 million in April, to help make up for shortfall caused by Western embargo
Iran has donated USD 120 million to the Palestinian Hamas-led government and has said it is ready to give more, Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar said on Thursday.
Iran said in April it would donate USD 50 million to help make up a shortfall left when the West cut off aid to the government led by the Palestinian Islamic group, which seeks to destroy
Israel.
"Iran has so far given USD 120 million to the Palestinian government and they have told us that they will provide more financial help," al-Zahar told reporters in Tehran after talks.
Arab foreign ministers convened in Cairo Sunday and decided to lift the financial blockade on Palestinians in response to a US veto on a UN Security Council draft resolution condemning Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
"We decided not to cooperate with it (the blockade). There will no longer be an international siege," said Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa.
