Israel should move to Europe, Iranian president says

Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sparked fresh outrage with the suggestion that the state of Israel should be moved to Europe, raising doubts on the reliability of Teheran as an EU partner in nuclear talks.

The latest anti-Israeli remarks by the Iranian president follow a comment made last month that Israel should be "wiped off the map".

Speaking in Mecca on Thursday (8 December), he stated according to media reports:

"If European countries claim that they have killed Jews in World War II (...) why don't they provide the Zionist regime with a piece of Europe?"

"Germany and Austria can provide the (...) regime with two or three provinces for this regime to establish itself, and the issue will be resolved", he added.

The Iranian leader also questioned the holocaust, stating "Some European countries insist on saying that Hitler killed millions of innocent Jews in furnaces and they insist on it to the extent that if anyone proves something contrary to that they condemn that person and throw them in jail."

Israeli, American and European leaders were quick to condemn Mr Ahmadinejad’s remarks, linking the issue to Iran’s alleged bid to develop nuclear weapons.

Widespread dismay

An Israeli spokesman called the Iranian leader a "worry for the entire international community", while the White House said "It's all the more reason why it's so important that the regime does not have the ability to develop nuclear weapons."

UK foreign secretary Jack Straw reacted on behalf of the EU, stating "the comments attributed to President Ahmadinejad are wholly unacceptable, and I condemn them unreservedly. They have no place in civilised political debate."

French president Jacques Chirac and German chancellor Angela Merkel, who were meeting for informal talks on the EU budget in Berlin on Thursday evening, chose equally strong words, with Ms Merkel "sharply" rejecting the comments with Mr Chirac adding he was "dismayed".

Lack of 'reason'

German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said after talks with his EU counterparts in Brussels that European foreign ministers were concerned with the lack of "reason" behind the Iranian leadership.

The EU is engaged in negotiations with Iran on its nuclear enrichment programme, which the international community fears could be used for the production of nuclear weapons.

Official negotiations between the EU-3 (Britain, France and Germany) have been suspended since August, but the EU is awaiting developments on a Russian offer to enrich Iranian uranium in Russia.

The offer is said to be discussed between Teheran and Moscow, with the French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy saying on Monday that the EU is ready to give the parties some more time before it will call for a referral of Teheran to the US security council.