Iran Protests Brazil's Decision to Move Embassy to Jerusalem

One day after Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the issue of Brazil's embassy transfer in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is only a matter of time, Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned Brazil's decision as "blameworthy" and a "basis for further instability and insecurity." The Israeli Prime Minister, who traveled to Brazil to attend the inauguration ceremony of Jair Bolsonaro, the new President of Brazil, said on Sunday that Bolsonaro told him that the Brazilian embassy would "definitely" be moved to Jerusalem. If this transfer occurs, Brazil will be the second largest country in the world after the United States to move its embassy to Jerusalem. According to ISNA news agency, Bahram Qasemi, the spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, stated on Tuesday, January 1, during his weekly press conference in Tehran regarding Brazil's decision that "the policies of countries are their own concern," but this action "certainly does not help achieve peace, stability, security, and the realization of the rights of the Palestinian people." Qasemi added that the decision of the new Brazilian government "could continue the policies of the Zionist regime (Israel) and the United States, creating a basis for further instability and insecurity and also undermining the rights of Palestinians." Iran does not view Israel merely as an occupier of the eastern part of the ancient city of Jerusalem but believes that all of Jerusalem, as the first qibla of Muslims, is Islamic land, and Muslims will never compromise over it. From Iran's perspective, the Palestinian territories and the areas on which Israel has been established are occupied lands where an Islamic Palestinian state should be established. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, also stated on Tuesday during a meeting with Ziad al-Nakhala, the new Secretary-General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad organization who visited Iran, that "the formation of a Palestinian government in Tel Aviv will be realized." Prior to Donald Trump's decision in December 2017 to recognize Jerusalem as the "capital of Israel," the international community uniformly supported the position of the pragmatic Palestinian faction, which considers East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. However, the U.S. action in May 2018 to move its embassy to Jerusalem encouraged several other governments to follow U.S. policy, although aside from the U.S., only Guatemala in Latin America has practically moved its embassy to Jerusalem. Jair Bolsonaro, who was elected President of Brazil in November this year, supported the embassy transfer to Jerusalem during his election campaign and after his victory. On Sunday, Netanyahu stated in a meeting with Jewish leaders in Brazil that Bolsonaro's government would quickly improve its relations with Israel, and he himself would travel to Jerusalem in less than three months. Despite Netanyahu's visit to Brazil and the new government's intention to potentially transfer the embassy to Jerusalem, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that Iran would "maintain its communications with Brazil." Qasemi reminded that Iran has long had "extensive relations in various commercial and economic fields" with Brazil. While all evidence indicated that Brazil under the presidency of right-wing Jair Bolsonaro would have strong relations with Israel and the U.S., Hassan Rouhani's government had sent a congratulatory message to him upon his election victory in November. Iran and Brazil have a historical relationship spanning 116 years and have had embassies in each other's capitals for 86 years.