Baku, Azerbaijan, May 6
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
The Iranian administration will not permit Israel to falsely promote the country as a threat to global and regional security, the country's foreign ministry has said.
Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Israelis of implementing an anti-Iran promotional project under the false pretext of Holocaust denial, Iranian Mehr news agency reported on May 6.
Zarif made the remarks in the parliament while responding to the MPs about his statements on "confirming the Holocaust."
The top diplomat was summoned to the parliament and questioned by hardliner MPs.
Zarif underlined that Iran respect all religions, adding that the anti-Semitism and genocide are not supported by Iranians.
The top diplomat also accused Israel of "making anti-Iran propaganda to cover up its daily crimes against Palestinians."
The Iranian foreign minister came under fire from the country's conservatives after he said the Holocaust was a "horrifying tragedy" that "should never occur again" in an interview in early February.
The comments made by Zarif in his interview with a German television station are in stark contrast to the Holocaust denials by former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who famously called it a "legend which relies on an unreliable claim."
Early in September 2013, Iranian media outlets quoted Zarif as saying "Iran condemns both genocide against Jews and Israel's violations against Palestinians."