Iranians Rally Against U.S. and Isreal

Friday, October 28, 2005 TEHRAN, Iran — Tens of thousands of Iranians staged anti-Israel demonstrations across the country Friday, repeating calls by their ultraconservative president for the destruction of the Jewish state. World leaders have condemned Wednesday's remarks by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (search), who repeated the words of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (search), leader of the Islamic revolution, by saying: "Israel must be wiped off the map." On Friday the Iranian Embassy in Moscow tried to soften the impact of Ahmadinejad's comment. "Mr. Ahmadinejad did not have any intention to speak in sharp terms and engage in a conflict," the embassy said in a statement following the international criticism. It added that Ahmadinejad "underlined the key position of Iran, based on the necessity to hold free elections on the occupied territories." The embassy statement came after Russia, a key Iranian ally, joined criticism of Ahmadinejad's statement and summoned the Iranian ambassador to ask for an explanation. Ahmadinejad joined thousands of Iranians in one of several rallies in Tehran. State-run television showed Ahmadinejad surrounded by demonstrators, many holding banners with anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian slogans. "Death to Israel, death to America," read many of the placards. Rallies also took place in other cities such as Mashad in Iran's east. The state-organized demonstrations are part of the annual al-Quds Day (search) — or Jerusalem Day — protests, which were first held in 1979 after Shiite Muslim clerics took power in Iran. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians have attended previous rallies. Late Thursday, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki (search) said the massive demonstrations would illustrate the anger of the Islamic world over the Jewish state's existence. "The comments expressed by the president is the declared and specific policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Mottaki told state-run television. "We don't recognize the Zionist regime and don't consider it legitimate." Countries from Britain to Russia denounced Ahmadinejad's comments. The United States said the Iranian leader's hostility underscored Washington's concern over Iran's nuclear program. Israel said Iran should be suspended from the United Nations. The comments were even criticized by Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat (search). "We have recognized the state of Israel and we are pursuing a peace process with Israel, and ... we do not accept the statements of the president of Iran," Erekat said. "This is unacceptable." Iran's seven state-run TV stations devoted coverage Friday to programs condemning the Jewish state and praising the Palestinian resistance since the 1948 creation of Israel. Three stations also showed live coverage of crowds of people gathering early Friday in streets throughout Tehran. One man who appeared to be in his 30s carried a placard saying: "The late Khomeini said Israel should be wiped off the map." After Khomeini toppled the pro-Western Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (search) in 1979, he declared the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan (search) as an international day of struggle against Israel and for the liberation of Jerusalem. The Iranian government organizes a central demonstration annually in Tehran, while other rallies demanding Israel's destruction are held around the world.