Israel's existence is an "insult to all humanity," Iran's president said Friday in one of his sharpest attacks yet against the Jewish state, as Israel openly debates whether to attack Iran over its nuclear program.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said confronting Israel is an effort to "protect the dignity of all human beings."
"The existence of the Zionist regime is an insult to all humanity," Ahmadinejad said. He was addressing worshippers at Tehran University after nationwide pro-Palestinian rallies, an annual event marking Quds (Jerusalem) Day on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.
In Washington, National Security Council Spokesman Tommy Vietor strongly condemned the Iranian leaders comments.
"If Iranian officials are truly concerned about protecting the rights and dignity of all human beings, then Iran should stop supporting Assad's brutal assault on the Syrian people. Iran and Syria's blatant disregard for basic human rights is the real insult to humanity," Vietor said.
A spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement that Ban also condemned the comments and said leaders in the region should use their voices to "lower, rather than to escalate, tensions."
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