News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has once again threatened to annihilate the State of Israel, this time in a speech to foreign guests marking the 19th anniversary of the death of Iran's late revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

According to the official IRNA news agency, Ahmadinejad told his audience, "You should know that the criminal and terrorist Zionist regime which has 60 years of plundering, aggression and crimes in its file has reached the end of its work and will soon disappear off the geographical scene."  The Iranian leader also aimed a shot at the US, saying the era of decline and destruction of America's "satanic power" had begun.

The US appeared unconcerned at the remarks. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino called the comments "that kind of rhetoric that just serves to further isolate the Iranian people." US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack commented in response to Ahmadinejad's threat against Israel: "Again, more hateful vitriol coming from President Ahmadinejad."