Peres relays to Turkey secret info on Iran

ISTANBUL – President Shimon Peres has relayed to Turkey confidential information about Iran's terrorist activities during his visit to Ankara, Ynet learned Tuesday.

Officials on Peres' delegation said that the intelligence given to Turkey included proof that Iran's long-range missiles have been designed for nuclear war purposes, as well as evidence indicating that Iran's nuclear program was not peaceful and documents related to terror funding by Iran.

The information, as well as recommendations for assistance in the war against terror, were delivered to the Turks by Peres' military secretary Brigadier-General Shimon Hefetz.

Peres visits Neveh Shalom synagogue (Photo: Moshe Milner, GPO)

Sources on the delegation explained that the information was aimed at persuading Turkey to change its political stances on Iran. Currently, the volume of trade between the two countries stands at billions of dollars annually, and the two also share common problems of terror by Kurdish rebels.

These considerations limit Turkey's ability, or inclination, to join the nations denouncing the Islamic republic and take a firmer stance against it.

In his speeches during the visit, Peres has on a few occasions compared between Iran, which supports terror, and Turkey, which strives for peace. The two, Peres said, were Muslim countries with very different worldviews.

Peres also visited Istanbul, and was accompanied to his plane by his host, the Turkish defense minister.

The president arrived directly at the Neveh Shalom synagogue in Istanbul, which is located in the heart of a Muslim neighborhood. The synagogue is suffered a deadly terror attack several years ago, in which more than 40 Jews and Israelis lost their lives.

Peres was greeted at the synagogue by hundreds of the Jewish community members in Istanbul. He was welcomed with dancing and a lot of excitement.