Jewish lawmaker denies AP report

Representative of the Iranian Jews in the parliament, Siamak Mare Sedgh has denied an AP report that he will accompany President Hassan Rowhani in the latter’s upcoming visit to New York for the UN general assembly’s session.

The Jewish representative told Qudsna that he has made no definite claim in an AP interview as to his likely trip to New York.

“I spoke to AP for less than one minute. They asked me whether I would accompany Dr. Rowhani in the trip and I answered that an initial talk has been made but nothing is certain,” Mare Sedgh said.

The AP reporter “then asked me if I accompany Mr. Rowhani what I would do and I answered that my only job is public diplomacy,” he added.

The Jewish lawmaker also rejected the Israeli media's claim that the trip would be a first by a Jewish representative to New York, adding that he had already accompanied former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during the latter’s tenure.

The Jewish lawmaker then said Jews are highly respected in Iran and live as an inseparable part of the nation.

Also a surgeon in Tehran, Mare Sedgh said about forty percent of his patients are non-Jewish Iranians, adding that he considers himself as representative of all Iranians.