H.E. Mr. Gérard Araud
President of the Security Council
United
Nations
New York
Excellency,
Over the past several days, the most senior
Iranian leaders have issued yet another series of outrageous statements,
which called for the destruction of Israel and spread the vile antisemitism that
forms the core of their ideology.
Yesterday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, publicly
stated that "Zionism is a danger for entire humanity" and that Israel "is a
cancerous tumor…in [the] heart of [the] Muslim world."
In remarks last Friday, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the "the very
existence of the Zionist regime is…an affront to all world nations" - and called
on "all human communities to wipe out this scarlet letter, meaning the Zionist
regime, from the forehead of humanity."
Iran's President repeated a number of antisemitic conspiracy theories and
slurs, including that "the two world wars were designed by Zionists ... [who]
have been inflicting very heavy damage and suffering on the whole humanity for
over two thousand years."
On the same day, General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Commander of the Aero-Space
Forces of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, threatened that Iran would
take action to destroy Israel, saying "the forged regime will be wiped out of
the map and thrown into the trash bin of history forever."
These are just a few examples of the hate speech that we heard echoing from
the pulpits, podiums, and television sets in Iran during the past several days.
Iran - a member state of the United Nations - continues to declare that it seeks
the destruction of Israel, another UN Member State.
As Israel has made clear in our previous letters to the Security Council,
complacency in the face of Iranian hate speech and incitement is dangerous. The
delusional statements of Iran's leaders are not those of crazy people, but
rational fanatics, with irrational hatreds. One can only imagine what such an
extremist regime would do if it got its hands on the world's most dangerous
weapons.
There are certain times when silence is not an option. We expect the Security
Council and all responsible members of the international community to condemn
Iranian hate speech without any further delay.
I should be grateful if you would have this letter distributed as an official
document of the Security Council. I wish to inform you that an identical letter
has been sent to H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Allow me, Excellency, to renew to you the assurances of my highest
consideration.
Yours truly,
[Signed]
Israel Nitzan
Minister-Counsellor
Charges d'Affairs, a.i.