Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Despite their leaders' regular call for the destruction of the State of Israel, Iranian citizens expressed their support for the Jewish state and encouraged Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz in his confrontation against the Palestinians.

The contact was made through a weekly radio phone-in program broadcast by the Israel's government-run Kol Israel (The Voice of Israel) radio as part of its Farsi (Persian) language radio service, the program's director Menashe Amir said on Monday.

"We have a weekly program talking about political issues," Amir said in a telephone interview. "This time was Shaul Mofaz. Listeners from inside Iran called.

"One of the most important questions was about the nuclear strategy of Israel," Amir said. The listener asked what Israel would do if it came under nuclear attack by Iran.

"[Mofaz told them that], 'this is a complex question and I think that that additional pact of the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] gives the possibility of a very careful [inspection] of the Iranian nuclear installations and may delay for awhile the Iranian efforts of producing a nuclear bomb," Amir said.

But according to Amir, Mofaz told the Iranian listeners that Iran's leaders would make every effort to gain time so they could produce a nuclear device.

Iran has agreed to sign an additional nuclear protocol allowing for more inspections of its nuclear sites. Russia is currently helping Iran to complete construction of its first nuclear reactor, which both Tehran and Moscow claim will be used for civilian purposes.

But Western experts believe that Iran is using the cover of its civilian project as a springboard to develop nuclear weapons.

Former Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani said in a speech two years ago that the Islamic world wanted to obtain an atomic bomb for the purpose of wiping Israel off the map. The current Iranian regime supports Hizballah terrorists in southern Lebanon and Palestinians in their fight against Israel.

But according to Amir, his listeners expressed very different sentiments to Mofaz.

"[The Iranians] have been very amicable," said Amir. "There were so many sympathetic messages about [their] love for Israel and the Jewish people. [They] encouraged [Mofaz] in the confrontation with the Palestinian people...

"Mofaz in his answers emphasized the traditional friendship existing between Israel and Iran," he said. "[It was] very flattering for Mr. Mofaz himself to see how the Iranians are against the Arabs and support Israel."

Iran and Israel have had historically good ties dating as far back as Biblical times, when Cyrus the King of Persia (ancient Iran) helped the Jewish people return to Jerusalem from Babylon and rebuild their temple.

Until the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, the two countries had diplomatic ties and Israel's national air carrier El Al had direct flights to Iran.

According to Amir, some of his listeners asked Israel to intervene to overthrow the Iranian regime. "[They were also] very pleased from the toppling of Saddam and wish it would happen to the Iranian leaders," he said.

The Farsi language broadcast of Israel radio has been on the air for 44 years, said Amir, who came to Israel from Iran. Sources within Iran estimate that his daily program has several million listeners. The 45-minute comprehensive news bulletin focuses on news inside of Iran.

According to Amir, he and his team try to talk to the listeners twice a week through a phone connection that goes through a third country. Those who call are from every age, social status and educational background, he said.