By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iran’s Vice President for Tourism and Cultural Heritage Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaie said on Sunday the Islamic Republic is on good terms with the people of America and Israel, the local Fars News Agency reported.
Rahim-Mashaie made the remarks that would spark controversy questioning Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s rhetoric on Holocaust and the existence of Israel, the report said.
“Today, Iran is friends with the American and Israeli people. No nation in the world is our enemy. We are proud of our stance in this regard,” Rahim-Mashaie said on the sidelines of a tourism conference in Tehran.
He added that, “Of course, we do have enemies. The Iranian people suffer from the most unfair of hostilities.”
“The Americans are one of the best nations in the world,” Rahim-Mashaie commented.
“I am looking forward to a day when no tourist will need a visa to enter Iran”, the Iranian chief for tourism and cultural heritage said.
He expressed hope that efforts by the government to support the tourism industry will bear fruit in the future.