JERUSALEM, Israel -- Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is planning to lead a delegation to Tehran within a couple of months, according to a senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
PLO member Ahmad Majdalani discussed Abbas' upcoming visit during meetings in Tehran over the past two days with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani.
Majdalani said Iranian officials agreed to work with the P.A. to organize a conference of international leaders aimed at forcing Israel to dismantle its nuclear program, Jerusalem Post Palestinian Affairs correspondent Khaled Abu Toameh reported.
According to the report, Majdalani also blamed Israel for the failed peace process and asked Iran to support its unilateral statehood efforts with the international community.
Majdalani also reportedly discussed repeated failures by the PLO's Fatah faction to form a unity government with Hamas, the Palestinian faction controlling the Gaza Strip.
Iran's relationship with Hamas took a downturn over the past several years over its support of anti-government forces opposing the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Those ties were reportedly strengthening until Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal's trip to Saudi Arabia in July.
Meshaal's meetings with the Saudis angered the Iranians, who called off an upcoming visit by a Hamas delegation, though the group's spokesman claimed that never happened.
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