New York (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Un Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has added his voice to the chorus of international criticism generated by the latest round of anti Israel statements made by the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on June 3. A text distributed yesterday by Ban’s office reads “The secretary-general was shocked and dismayed at the remarks attacking Israel attributed to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in which he says repeatedly that the world could witness the 'destruction of the Zionist regime' soon”.
A speech welcoming foreign guests to celebrations marking the 18th anniversary of the death of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic, was the occasion chosen by the “proletarian president” to launch his latest attack against Israel. “A "countdown" has begun that will end with Lebanese and Palestinian militants destroying the Jewish state ".
Ahmadinejad provoked widespread outrage from governments in the west and further a field when in October 2005 he wished Israel wiped off the map.
Analysts underline that just as in the case of the campaign in favour of nuclear arms, this one against Israel – whose existence has never been recognised by the mullah regime – is rhetorical propaganda used by Tehran to mask the numerous political problems it has, above all unemployment and deepening divisions within the government.