Israel: Remove Iran from the UN

Jpost Staff and AP, The Jerusalem Post:

A day after Iranian President - in a conference titled 'The World Without Zionism' - called to "wipe Israel off the map", Prime Minister Ariel Sharon instructed Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Dani Gilerman to take action in order to remove Iran from the international organization. Sharon was prompted into action by Vice Premier Shimon Peres, who sent a missive in which he wrote, "It is inconceivable that the head of a nation that is a member at the UN would call for genocide. His call stands against the UN charter and constitutes a crime against humanity."

Peres, who addressed his remarks to Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, said that the severity of Ahmadinejad's comments only underline the danger in light of Iran's attempts to develop nuclear weapons and acquire long range missiles.

Reacting to the Iranian president's speech, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Ahmadinejad and Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar "speak openly about destroying the Jewish state ... and it appears the problem with these extremists is that they followed through on their violent declarations with violent actions."

Ebrahim Yazdi, a former Iranian foreign minister, said Ahmadinejad's remarks harmed Iran.

"Such comments provoke the international community against us. It's not to Iran's interests at all. It's harmful to Iran to make such a statement," he said. READ MORE

Both the United Kingdom and Germany summoned on Thursday representatives of the Iranian Embassy to underline their countrys' opposition to the Iranian president's remarks.

Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer had also asked Germany's Embassy in Iran for a report on the situation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Elmar Eich said.

In addition, several world governments issued statements criticizing the Iranian's remarks, including the US, Britain, France, Spain, Canada, Italy and Germany.

The latest nation to join the international chorus blasting Ahmadinejad's rhetoric, Italy on Thursday echoed earlier statements by its ally in Iraq, the US, saying the remarks confirm concerns over Tehran's nuclear program.

The Italian Foreign Ministry "has expressed discomfort and concern to the Iranian ambassador in Rome," a ministry statement said. A ministry official said the ambassador had not been summoned.

"The contents and tone of such unacceptable statements confirm worries over the political positions pursued by the new Iranian leadership, especially concerning the nuclear dossier," the statement said.

Earlier, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said he believed that Ahmadinejad's words speak for themselves, "highlighting our concerns of an Iranian nuclear capability."

In Madrid, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos summoned Iran's ambassador to protest Ahmadinejad's comments. Moratinos said he rejected the remarks in the strongest possible terms.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said he learned about Ahmadinejad's comments from news reports that indicate the Iranian president called for Israel's destruction and said the conflict in the Middle East would result in a fight between Jews and Muslims.

"If these comments are correct, they are unacceptable. I greatly condemn them and have asked for the Iranian ambassador in Paris to be summoned to the Foreign Ministry to demand explanations," Douste-Blazy said.

The British Foreign Office said "Ahmadinejad's comments are deeply disturbing and sickening."