Editing Foreign relations of Israel (section)

=== Iran ===
{{Main|Iran–Israel relations}}

[[File:Saffinia Israel.jpg|thumb|upright|Iranian minister Reza Saffinia visiting the home of Israeli president [[Chaim Weizmann]], 1950]]
Relations between Israel and Iran have alternated from close political alliances between the two states, during the era of the [[Pahlavi dynasty]], to open hostility following the rise to power of Ayatollah [[Ruhollah Khomeini]]. While Iran was the second Muslim-majority country to recognize Israel,<ref name="Zvi Bar'el">{{cite web|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1121734.html |title=Comment / How do Turkey and Israel measure each other's love? |author=Zvi Bar'el |date=18 October 2009 |work=[[Haaretz]] |access-date=5 December 2009}}</ref> the two states do not currently have diplomatic relations with each other, due to Iran's withdrawal of its recognition of Israel. The post-1979 Iranian authorities avoid referring to Israel by its name, and instead use the terms "the Zionist regime" or "occupied Palestine". [[Iranian passport]]s bear an inscription that says, "The bearer of this passport is forbidden from traveling to occupied Palestine."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090611190927/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1902080,00.html Roxana Saberi and How Journalism Works in Iran], by Azadeh Moaveni, "Time", 1 June 2009</ref>

Due to recent [[rhetoric]] between Iran and Israel, [[Nuclear program of Iran|development of nuclear technology]], and Iranian funding of the groups [[Hamas]] and [[Hezbollah]], tensions have risen dramatically between the State of Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2010/0622/Why-Iran-vs.-Israel-rhetoric-could-escalate-into-war |title=Why Iran vs. Israel rhetoric could escalate into war |last=Peterson |first=Scott |date=22 June 2010 |work=The Christian Science Monitor |access-date=27 July 2012}}</ref> especially after the [[2005 Iranian presidential election|election]] of the hardline [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]] in 2005. Comments made by Ahmadinejad, who has called the Holocaust “a myth” and for Israel to be “wiped off the map”,<ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.allbusiness.com/middle-east/israel/3976209-1.html|title = Iranians visit Israel's Holocaust Web site|access-date = 31 January 2007|date = 30 January 2007|agency = Reuters|quote = Jews are alarmed by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who since coming to power in 2005 has drawn international condemnation by describing the Holocaust as "a myth" and calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map."}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna9823624|title = Iranians say Israel spat is really about nukes|access-date = 18 October 2006|date = 30 October 2005|work = [[NBC News]]|quote = President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's remark on Wednesday that Israel should be 'wiped off the map' sparked international condemnation, including a rebuke from the U.N. Security Council.}}</ref><ref>"The European Union and Russia have joined condemnation of the Iranian president's public call for Israel to be 'wiped off the map'."{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4378948.stm |title=Iran leader's comments attacked |work=BBC News |date=27 October 2005}}</ref><ref>"Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad&nbsp;– who in October called for Israel to be 'wiped off the map'&nbsp;– has now questioned the extent of the Holocaust and suggested that the Jewish state be moved to Europe. Ahmadinejad's comments, made on the sidelines of a summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), have again sparked international condemnation." Golnaz Esfandiari.{{cite web |url=http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2005/12/6f3acbdf-d5f9-4ba1-8c9d-278c700ae2ea.html | title=Iran: President's Latest Comments About Israel Spark Further Condemnation | publisher=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty | date=9 December 2005}}</ref><ref>"Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was condemned in the West when he called the Holocaust a myth." Michael Slackman. [http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/08/24/news/iran.php In Tehran, a riposte to the Danish cartoons] ''[[The New York Times]]'', 24 August 2006.</ref><ref>"In October 2005, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was condemned for calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map" and followed up with comments downplaying the Holocaust." [http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/01/08/wld01.asp Israel planning tactical nuclear strike on Iran] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629194213/http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/01/08/wld01.asp |date=29 June 2011}}, ''Daily News Sri Lanka'', 8 January 2007.</ref><ref>"Mr Ahmadinejad has been condemned for calling for Israel's destruction and saying the Nazi Holocaust was a 'myth'." [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4610202.stm Bayern Munich deny backing Iran], [[BBC News]], 13 January 2006.</ref> were perceived by Israel as threats of destruction.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=w051031&s=karshmiller103105|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010042245/http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=w051031&s=karshmiller103105|title=Repeat Offenders. Iran Says It Wants to Destroy Israel|archive-date=10 October 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.cnn.com/1999/WORLD/europe/12/31/2000/ |title=Little fanfare in Iraq |access-date=9 November 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109165210/http://archives.cnn.com/1999/WORLD/europe/12/31/2000/ |archive-date=9 November 2007 }} "Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for the destruction of Israel, saying it was the only way to solve the problems of the Middle East." ''[[CNN]]'', 1 January 2000</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4468 |title=European Parliament rips Iran leader's remarks |publisher=Iranfocus.com |date=17 November 2005 |access-date=14 May 2007 |archive-date=28 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028183715/http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4468 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/05/696&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en |title=European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood policy: Statement on recent declarations by the President of Iran |publisher=Europa (web portal)}}</ref>

A large population of [[Persian Jews|Iranian Jews]] lives in Israel, among them former president of Israel [[Moshe Katsav]], former chief of staff / Defense Minister [[Shaul Mofaz]], and former chief of staff [[Dan Halutz]].