The UN and the EU have condemned the
anti-Semitic remarks made by Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi
at a UN international drug trade conference in Tehran on Tuesday.
In his speech delivered to the
conference, the Iranian vice president had blamed Jews for international drug
trade. The New York Times has described Rahimi’s remarks as “baldly anti-Semitic,”
shocking some of the diplomats attending the conference.
Rahimi also had said that The Talmud
teaches to “destroy everyone who oppose the Jews.” (The New York Times)
UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon on
Wednesday criticized the remarks.
"The secretary general has on many occasions
called on Iranian officials to refrain from these kinds of anti-Semitic
statements. He does so again in response to these latest reported
comments," said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky. "He believes it is the
responsibility of leaders to promote harmony and understanding and he deeply
regrets expressions of hatred and religious intolerance," Nesirky added.
Today, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton also condemned Iranian Vice
President’s remarks.
"The
High Representative is deeply disturbed by racist and anti-Semitic statements
made by Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi at the UN
International Day against Drug Abuse," Ashton stated. Ashton added that
such statements are “unacceptable” and reiterated EU’s commitment to “combating
racism and anti-Semitism.”
