President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the comment at a Tehran conference on "The World Without Zionism." In a statement issued by the office of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Peres said, "A country that calls for the destruction of another people cannot be a member of the United Nations." Prime Minister Sharon added, "Such a country [Iran] that has nuclear weapons is a danger, not only to Israel and the Middle East, but also to Europe."
However, Peres and Sharon stopped short of declaring that Israeli would officially request the international body to oust Iran. "I don't know if it has any chance of success," Peres explained. Expulsion would require a Security Council recommendation and a two-thirds majority vote in the General Assembly, a virtual impossibility given the large anti-Israel bloc in the U.N.
European countries, Russia and the United States condemned the Iranian president's statement but did not join Peres' call to expel Iran from the U.N.
"Calls for violence, and for the destruction of any state, are manifestly inconsistent with any claim to be a mature and responsible member of the international community," European Union leaders said in a statement.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan commented, "It underscores the concerns we have about Iran's nuclear intentions." Russia also denounced Iran for the verbal attack on Israel.
However, Peres and Sharon stopped short of declaring that Israeli would officially request the international body to oust Iran. "I don't know if it has any chance of success," Peres explained. Expulsion would require a Security Council recommendation and a two-thirds majority vote in the General Assembly, a virtual impossibility given the large anti-Israel bloc in the U.N.
European countries, Russia and the United States condemned the Iranian president's statement but did not join Peres' call to expel Iran from the U.N.
"Calls for violence, and for the destruction of any state, are manifestly inconsistent with any claim to be a mature and responsible member of the international community," European Union leaders said in a statement.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan commented, "It underscores the concerns we have about Iran's nuclear intentions." Russia also denounced Iran for the verbal attack on Israel.