Despite the differences between their countries, an Iranian and an Israeli shared a hug and a pat on the back Sunday morning after the opener of the Olympic men’s basketball tournament.

Iranian center Hamed Ehadadi and David Blatt share a moment of goodwill after the Blatt-coached Russian team beat Iran in the opening game.

The hug between Russian coach David Blatt, who holds dual Israeli and American citizenship, and Iranian captain Mohammed Nikkhah, came after Nikkhah was questioned by an Israeli journalist about the tensions between the two countries stemming from Iran’s nuclear program, which Israel views as a threat to its existence.

On Saturday, an Iranian swimmer refused to race in a preliminary Olympic heat because an Israeli athlete was competing in the same race.

“We are coming here for playing sport, nothing else,” Nikkhah said. As he exited the postgame interview podium, Blatt stood and embraced him, and Nikkhah returned the gesture.

Blatt and Iran’s coach, Rajko Toroman, who is Serbian, had a similar exchange as Toroman left the podium. Blatt later warmly greeted Iran’s 7-foot-2 center Hamed Ehadadi.

I can’t wait to see how Iran is going to spin this. Zionist Death Hug^TM perhaps?

Update: Ha’aretz describes it as “shaking hands.” They further downplay it by reporting that “it is still unclear whether the Iranian players knew the symbolic significance of their handshake with the Israeli coach, or whether they were unaware of Blatt’s nationality.”

Update: In reporting the basketball game, the Iranians (predictably) omit to mention the close encounter of the Zionist kind.