Iranian Vice President Esfandiar Rahim Mashal on Monday repeated his assertion that Iran is a friend of Israel, according to Iranian state-controlled media.
"We are friends of all of humanity. There is no difference at all between the Iranians and Americans, and the Israelis are also our friends," said the Iranian vice president. "The Iranians believe in peace and love between people."
Mashal made similar remarks last month, and added that Iran's nuclear program "should be used for expanding love and peace."
Israelis rejected both of Mashal's declarations, recalling that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has an numerous occasions publicly advocated the destruction of the Jewish state to thunderous applause from the more religiously-motivated of his fellow Iranians.