Israeli foreign minister calls for greater vigilance against Iran

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The Israeli foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, called for greater international vigilance against the security threat posed by Iran, in a speech to the UN General Assembly.

"There is no greater challenge to our values than that posed by the leaders of Iran," Livni said. "They deny and mock the Holocaust. They speak proudly and openly of their desire to wipe Israel off the map.

"And now by their actions, they pursue the weapons to achieve this objective, to imperil the region and to threaten the world."

The minister said the international community must stand up to what she called "this dark and growing danger" posed by Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions.

Using the right of reply given at General Assembly debates, a member of the Iranian delegation countered by telling delegates that Livni had spread "baseless propaganda" as a "smokescreen for war crimes" committed by Israel.

The United States has led a push for sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme. Iran insists that its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes.