Israel’s President Shimon Peres on Thursday spoke to the people of Iran by delivering a festive greeting for Nowruz, the Persian New Year, through interviews with Persian language radio stations, Israel Radio Persian and Radio Farda, and via his YouTube channel.
He began his address with a traditional Persian greeting : ‘’Iraniane Gerami, Novruzetan Piruz Bad,” or “Iranian citizens, wherever you are, Happy Nowruz.”
Nowruz is a Persian, pre-Islamic holiday that marks the beginning of spring. It is celebrated across central Asia, by Persians, Kurds, Azeris, Turkomen, and others.
“The Jewish people and the Persian people, the Iranian people have a very long history and we’re going to have a long future,” the Israeli President said.
“We are old cultures, we learn history, we make history and we respect history. We have a heritage of values; we are not just business peoples but two nations that respect culture, that respect human dignity. We call to live in peace and understanding.”
Peres also expressed optimism for renewed relations between Israel and Iran, cut off in the wake of the 1979 revolution that brought the current regime to power.
“I think Israel will become the contributing member of the Middle East, I think our children and Arab children, Druze, Christians, everybody will go to the same universities and their major challenge will be the new ideas, the new discoveries. I do believe that the young generation of Iran, like the young generation all over the world, will choose to live in peace, in cooperation. Instead of fighting, let’s compete in scientific endeavor. In competition everybody wins, in war everybody loses.”
He ended his message by saying : “Let us have a year of science and of peace, without war and threats. Happy Nowruz!”