Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Friday the Holocaust was a ”lie” and a pretext to create a Jewish state that Iranians had a religious duty to confront.
”The pretext [Holocaust] for the creation of the Zionist regime [Israel] is false … It is a lie based on an unprovable and mythical claim,” he told worshippers at Tehran University at the end of annual anti-Israel ”Qods [Jerusalem] Day” rally held nationwide every year on the last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
”Confronting the Zionist regime [Israel] is a national and religious duty.”
Ahmadinejad’s critics say his fiery anti-Western speeches and questioning of the Holocaust have isolated Iran, which is at odds with the West over its disputed nuclear programme.
The hardline president warned leaders of Western-allied Arab and Muslim countries about dealing with Israel.
”This regime [Israel] will not last long. Do not tie your fate to it … This regime has no future. Its life has come to an end,” he said in a speech broadcast live on state radio.
Iran forces clash with protesters, says witness
Meanwhile, Iran security forces clashed with supporters of opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi and arrested at least 10 of them during the anti-Israel rallies in central Tehran, a witness said.
”Security forces just arrested over 10 people,” the witness said. ”They are pushing protesters and beating them.”
Iranian authorities, including Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had warned the opposition against turning the rallies to street protests against the clerical establishment.
Defeated presidential candidates Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi said they would attend the rally.
Thousands of supporters of Mousavi, wearing green wristbands or shawls, were among the crowds marching in the ”Qods Day” rallies.
Supporters of hardline Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad clashed with reformists during anti-Israel rallies on Friday, a witness said.
”Supporters of Ahmadinejad are beating supporters of [opposition leader Mirhossein] Mousavi near the Vali-ye Asr street [in central Tehran]. At least two protesters were injured,” the witness said.
Iran’s June presidential election, which was followed by huge opposition protests, plunged Iran into political turmoil and exposed deepening divisions within its ruling elites.
The opposition leaders say the poll was rigged to secure Ahmadinejad’s re-election. The authorities deny it. — Reuters