Report of Israel-Iran secret meeting

According to the Israel Atomic Energy Commision Spokesperson Yael Doron, Israeli and Iranian representatives participated in a nuclear non-proliferation conference in Egypt this past September. Iran has denied that the meeting took place; however Egypt's foreign ministry confirmed the report.

Ha'aretz reports:

The meetings were held behind closed doors, and all participants committed to complete secrecy, to allow a full and frank discussion. However, the fact of the meeting was leaked by Australian sources to the Australian daily The Age.

The Israel Atomic Energy Commission confirmed that such a meeting did take place but refused to comment.

The exchanges between the Iranian and Israeli representatives took place within three panel sessions, each dealing with one of the issues with which the ICNND is concerned - declaring the Middle East a nuclear-free zone, preventing nuclear proliferation in the region and matters of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

During the meetings, Zafary-Odiz [director of policy and arms control for the Israel Atomic Energy Commission] explained the Israeli policy of being willing, in principle, to discuss the Middle East as a nuclear-free zone. She also detailed Israel's unique strategic situation, saying regional security must be strengthened, security arrangements must be agreed upon and a peace agreement must be sealed before Israel would feel at liberty to discuss this topic.

Soltanieh [Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency] defended his country's policy, and said Iran was not striving for nuclear armament and did not endanger Israel. He said Israel did not understand the mentality and ideology of the Tehran regime.