From Khatami’s surprise greeting to how to pick a new Pope

In 2005, then-Iranian President Mohammad Khatami attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II. The news of the Iranian president’s “friendly interaction” with Israeli President Moshe Katsav at the event caused a stir. The Israeli newspaper Ma’ariv quoted Mr. Katsav as saying at the time that “when leaving the ceremony, Mr. Khatami extended his hand to shake his hand, and in addition to shaking hands with the Iranian president, he greeted him in Persian.”

After returning to Iran, Khatami denied the news of his handshake and conversation with the Israeli president, saying that he “had never met or had any meetings with any figure in the Zionist regime.”

April 26, 2025 | 6:02 am