Iran stands firm on Israel remark

[Taxloss]

Iran has defended its president's call for Israel to be "wiped off the map", saying this has been its foreign policy since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Ahead of an anti-Israel rally in Tehran, Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki said Iran did not recognise the "illegitimate Zionist regime".

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's words provoked international outrage, but Muslim countries have not reacted.

However, a senior Palestinian official rejected the Iranian position.

"Palestinians recognise the right of the state of Israel to exist and I reject his comments," chief negotiator Saeb Erekat told the BBC News website.

More ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4384264.stm

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Nutters.

[sepia_steel]

1. Way to go, Iran.

give the assholes here a reason to invade you, assholes. Go ahead, make yourselves next!

Ayeyaiyaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

2. Hmm...

I wonder if all threads on this subject going to be place in I/P from now on.

[Taxloss]

4. I wonder.

Not that it matters.

[Behind the Aegis]

3. Nice...

At least the senior Palestinian official expressed outrage over the comments....more than quite a few here!

[bananas]

5. Has anyone verified that this isn't a mis-translation?

I've gotten so skeptical of everything reported in the news.
Is this another "Al Gore claimed to invent the internet"?
Did he really say it?
Are they just making it up?
Are they misquoting or mis-translating him?
Are there any DUers who speak Farsi and can verify he actually said it?

[Taxloss]

6. The BBC has a Farsi service.

I think they would have picked up on a mistranslation.

[Englander]

7. No, he pretty much said what is being reported -

From the Islamic Republic News Agency, the state-run agency;

'Ahmadinejad: Supporters of Israel will face wrath of Islamic ummah

Tehran, Oct 26, IRNA

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned countries or leaders who have taken measures to acknowledge the Zionist regime under pressure or due to lack of sound understanding that they will be confronted with the wrath of the Islamic ummah and will forever be disgraced.

Speaking at a conference dubbed "World without Zionism" here Wednesday which was attended by thousands of students, he said any country which acknowledges the Zionist regime will actually be acknowledging the surrender and defeat of the Islamic world.

He further expressed his firm belief that the new wave of confrontations generated in Palestine and the growing turmoil in the Islamic world would in no time wipe Israel away.

Ahmadinejad referred to the Zionist regime's recent withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as a "trick," saying Gaza is part of Palestinian territory and the withdrawal was meant to make Islamic states acknowledge the Zionist regime of Israel.

Pointing to the evil attempts of the US and Israel to saw discord among warring forces in Palestine and other parts of the Islamic world, the president said such attempts were aimed at forcing some Islamic countries to acknowledge the existence of Israel.'

http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0510264068140136.htm

[bananas]

8. Thanks for the .ir news link

I found this from Sept 2003, don't know why it didn't get much attention (I didn't see it, anyway).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3129138.stm
...
Iran has vowed to increase its military strength at a public display of some of its most advanced weaponry.
...
The missiles were daubed with slogans including "We will crush America under our feet" and "Israel must be wiped off the map".
...

[Coastie for Truth]

11. Thank you for the verification.

In the "best" tradition of Solicitors and Barristers and Conveyancers. ;)

[bemildred]

9. I doubt it, it's been the Iranian position for a long time.

I have no doubt that the language was "hotted up" a bit,
but I think the content is correct.

[Long Time Lurker]

10. And they're having a rally today to celebrate

Iran, along with most of the remaining Muslim nations, have always called for Israel's annhilation. This is nothing new, nor is it overblown or mistranslated rhetoric.

[occuserpens]

12. Iranians know exactly what they are doing

It is like with N.Korea. Normally, they live by themselves and don't care about outer world. But when foreigners start poking theit curious little noses where they don't belong, N.Koreans go ballistic and start cursing.