No Mideast peace with current US, Israel policies, says Iran (Roundup)

Feb 5, 2007, 18:00 GMT

Tehran - Peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved as long as the United States and Israel continue their present policies, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told visiting Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf Monday in Tehran.

'Any plan on the Middle East would only bear success, if the US hegemonic policies were stopped and Zionists' (Israeli) crimes stopped,' ISNA news agency quoted Khamenei as saying.

Musharraf arrived earlier Monday in Tehran on a two-day official visit during which he reportedly presented his new Middle East peace initiative to Iranian officials.

Details of the initiative have not yet been disclosed but observers say that Iran was asked to adopt a less antagonistic approach towards the Middle East peace process.

'Israel is the main cause for tensions in the Islamic world and will continue these policies in the future as well,' Khamenei said, reiterating the basic Iranian stance in the Middle East.

'The Palestinian problem could only be helped through accepting the realities - these realities include the Islamic nations' hatred towards the US and Zionists (Israel) and (necessity of) continued resistance by Palestine and Hamas,' the Ayatollah added.

Musharraf also met his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is widely known for his anti-Israeli stance and opposition to any peace plan in the Middle East.

Tehran considers a referendum by all Palestinians, including refugees, on the future political status of Israel the only way to achieve a just and fair peace.

Both sides had discussed the 7 billion-dollar-pipeline project with Pakistan and India, which is making slow progress, owing to hostilities between the two countries and US opposition, ISNA reported.

Ahmadinejad told Musharraf that finalisation of the project would have a huge impact on regional peace, according to the report.

The Pakistani head of state is to travel on to Turkey after his stay in Tehran. He aims to brief the leadership about his recent consultations in five Middle Eastern countries and in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Ahead of Musharraf's tour, reports in Islamabad said his tour aimed to boost bilateral ties and develop a joint consensus on challenges confronting the Muslim world.

His visitr comes amid criticism by opposition political forces in Pakistan for focusing on international conflicts at a time when the country itself was facing serious security problems.