Ali Kaffashian, seen here in 2008, said the New Year’s email to the Israeli football federation was “a big mistake.”
HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS
- New Year’s email to Israel was a mistake, Iranian officials say
- Iran does not recognize Israel
- The Iranian Football Federation usually sends greetings to all FIFA members except Israel
- Head of Iranian Federation’s external relations office resigns
(CNN) — The president of Iran’s football federation issued a public apology and a member of his team resigned after the federation mistakenly sent New Year’s greetings to his Israeli counterpart, Iranian officials said Sunday.
“It was a big mistake to send an email to the Israeli Football Federation,” Ali Kaffashian, president of the Iranian Football Federation, said in a statement carried by the semi-official Mehrs news agency. “However, I’m sure the director of the foreign relations office didn’t do it on purpose.”
Kaffashian said the Iranian football league regularly sends New Year greetings to all members of FIFA, the sport’s global federation, except Israel. Iran does not recognize Israel, which it describes as a “Zionist entity”, and teams from the two countries do not meet in international competitions.
Mohammad-Mansour Azimzadeh Ardebili, head of the league’s external relations office, resigned over the affair, Kaffashian said.
