After the 2003 earthquake in Bam , the Iranian government rebuffed Israel 's offer of assistance . On 8 April 2005 , Khatami sat near Iranian-born Israeli President Moshe Katsav during the funeral of Pope John Paul II because of alphabetical order . Later , Katsav shook hands and spoke with Khatami . Katsav himself is in origin an Iranian Jew , and from a part of Iran close to Khatami 's home ; he stated that they had spoken about their home province . That would make this incident the first official political contact between Iran and Israel since diplomatic ties were severed in 1979
2003 earthquake
2003 Bam earthquake
Mohammad Khatami