Ramallah-An official from the Fatah Movement headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Palestinians are requesting an apology from Tehran after some Iranian officials had offended Abbas who had met with leading Iranian opposition figure Maryam Rajavi last Saturday.
Following Abbas’ meeting with Rajavi on Saturday, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said the president updated Rajavi on the latest developments in the Palestinian territories and the Middle East.
Sources from the Fatah Movement told Asharq Al-Awsat that Palestinians insist on receiving an apology, as previously voiced by Palestine Liberation Organization Secretary General Saeb Erekat who said Palestinian leaderships would not remain silent vis-à-vis the Iranian insults.
Tehran had strongly lashed out at Abbas during the past few days for meeting with Rajavi in Paris over the weekend.
Iran not only attacked Abbas, but had also asked its Palestinian allies to join the campaign.
Fatah strongly replied to the Iranian attack by accusing Tehran of creating division between Palestinians.
“They have vied and are still vying to destroy and ruin the Palestinian people,” a statement carried by Fatah said.
An official from the Fatah Movement said the Palestinian president’s meeting with Rajavi does not mean an interference in Iranian internal affairs.
The official asked why Abbas was not allowed to meet with the Iranian opposition while Iran is allowed to meet and support all Palestinian opposition groups, and even incite them to cause chaos.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Mohaddessin, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) accused Tehran of sending 80,000 members from its armed forces to Syria.
He said: “Terrorists linked to them (Iranian regime) were performing the ugliest crimes in several regional countries, including Bahrain.”

Source: Asharq Al-Awsat, 4 Aug. 2016