Iranian leader talks to Israeli

Khatami's response came as a surprise

Iran's president has told an Israeli reporter he favours a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mohammad Khatami was responding to a question in what is believed to be the first time the Iranian leader has publicly spoken to an Israeli.

Mr Khatami took the question at a news conference at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Iran has frequently called for the Jewish state's destruction and the two countries are bitter foes.