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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. (Reuters)
Last update - 18:49 28/11/2007
Ahmadinejad: Annapolis failed, Israel doomed to collapse
By The Associated Press
Tags: Ahmadinejad, Israel 

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that the U.S.-brokered Mideast peace conference on Tuesday was a failure and that Israel is doomed to collapse.

The comments, lashing out at the Annapolis gathering that many saw as aimed at isolating Iran, marked the first time in months that the hard-line Iranian president used such strong anti-Israeli rhetoric.

"It is impossible that the Zionist regime will survive. Collapse is in the nature of this regime because it has been created on aggression, lying, oppression and crime," Ahmadinejad said after a cabinet meeting, according to state-run television.
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"Soon, even the most politically doltish individuals will understand that this conference was a failure from the beginning," he said, the official IRNA news agency reported.

In a reference to Arab countries who attended the conference, he said, "we are disappointed that some individuals fell victim to the sinister Zionist regime. They are mistaken if they thought that this summit will bring any achievements for them."

Iran has repeatedly condemned the Annapolis conference, saying it would fail to bring any peace for the Palestinians and warning that Arab countries who participated will be discredited in the eyes of their people. Iran on Tuesday expressed surprise that Damascus participated in the gathering, though it has stopped short of directly criticizing its close ally.

Ahmadinejad said the Palestinian resistance - such as Hamas, which is backed by Tehran - must have a say in any settlement.

"Many such meetings have been held but have failed," he said. "If decision is made about Palestine, representatives of the elected Palestinian government and resistance should be there and the rights of the Palestinian people - self-determination, the right of voting and return of refugees - must be recognized," he said.

Ahmadinejad has raised controversy in the West with past predictions of Israel's eventual destruction, including a comment saying it should be wiped off or disappear from the map. But more recently, he has stayed away from such comments amid criticism at home that inflammatory speeches were needlessly provoking the West against Iran.

U.S. officials have expressed hopes that the Annapolis conference, which launched Israeli-Palestinian peace talks for the first time in seven years, would weaken the hard-line alliance of Iran, Syria, and the Hamas and Hezbollah militant groups.

Syria has defended its attendance, saying it is open to any serious attempt to reach a peace deal with Israel that brings the return of the Golan Heights. Syria's deputy foreign minister, Faysal Mekdad, told the conference Tuesday his country was "sincere in our pursuit of a just and comprehensive peace."

Iranian government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham said Tuesday that leaders of the Palestinian factions opposed to Annapolis would meet in Iran in another 10 days. "Iran is the home of all the fighting Palestinian factions who aspire to liberate their land from the grip of the thieving occupier," he said.

It is not clear whether this meeting will be in addition to or in place of a meeting of Palestinian rejectionist groups that had originally been slated to take place in Damascus. That meeting, supposed to be Tuesday, was postponed, and Hamas rejected an Iranian offer to host it in Tehran.

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      1.   Ahmadinejad has no clue 15:46  |  Elvin 28/11/07
      2.   He`s right. Israel is doomed... 15:48  |  POP 28/11/07
      3.   a little question 15:51  |  Claudio 28/11/07
      4.   Sounds Like He`s Talking About Iran 15:54  |  Jane 28/11/07
      5.   He will be long gone while Israel is thriving. 16:02  |  The Equalizer 28/11/07
      6.   "AND PHARAO SAID:LEST THEY INCREASE/GOD SAID: THEY SHALL INCREASE 16:02  |  Ben 28/11/07
      7.   #2 Pop 16:03  |  Christian 28/11/07
      8.   To POP - We`ve been around... 16:03  |  ancient people 28/11/07
      9.   Ahmadinejad 16:11  |  Natallie Durson 28/11/07
      10.   The obsession of this person with the collapse of one 16:22  |  Dr. N. Gurevitz, MD 28/11/07
      11.   exactly the same way america was created 16:23  |  iranianoilbourse 28/11/07
      12.   Is he? #2 16:26  |  Itsik 28/11/07
      13.   wake up 16:27  |  edgar 28/11/07
      14.   #7 christian. 16:30  |  Itsik 28/11/07
      15.   A good lesson for the majority of the Pals 16:38  |  dovale 28/11/07
      16.   Iran is doomed 16:40  |  Mike 28/11/07
      17.   #7 Christian 16:42  |  ballistic 28/11/07
      18.   Ahmedinejad and his Doomsday scenario 16:46  |  Brod 28/11/07
      19.   Anna Polis is a nice girl. Annapolis is a nice Navy Town 16:48  |  Markus 28/11/07
      20.   Durson trying to convince herself she`s not alone. 16:48  |  Fortuna Benmayor 28/11/07
      21.   Durson # 9 - For The Very Same Reasons You 16:50  |  Eli 28/11/07
      22.   Israel Will Still Be There When Ahmadi Is Rotting! 16:52  |  Yosemite 28/11/07
      23.   To Durson 16:56  |  dovale 28/11/07
      24.   If Israel really has nucs. Iran is doommed too. 16:57  |  Realist 28/11/07
      25.   And Hitler said the Jews were doomed 17:05  |  Conroy 28/11/07
      26.   Ahmadineshame 17:06  |  Real Swiss 28/11/07
      27.   Ahmedinejad is a poor loser 17:08  |  Conroy 28/11/07
      28.   Fleas in a Jar 17:13  |  Paul 28/11/07
      29.   TO NO 5 ISRAEL FOEVER. 17:13  |  DANNY. 28/11/07
      30.   #7 `Christian` 17:13  |  Jimmy 28/11/07
      31.   POP`s Sense of Validity 17:14  |  Tex 28/11/07
      32.   TO NO 6. 17:16  |  DANNY. 28/11/07
      33.   TO NO 7 CHRISTIAN 17:17  |  DANNY. 28/11/07
      34.   to Conroy 17:19  |  edgar 28/11/07
      35.   AHMINADAJAD. 17:21  |  DANNY. 28/11/07
      36.   Ahmadejans failed memory 17:21  |  TOMY 28/11/07
      37.   Nighty-Night, Edgar 17:22  |  Tex 28/11/07
      38.   He`s Mad At Syria, His Only Ally 17:23  |  dyinglikeflies 28/11/07
      39.   Actions speak louder then words 17:24  |  Gabi 28/11/07
      40.   Israele will stand 17:26  |  cristiano 28/11/07
      41.   To # 9 17:27  |  The Teacher/Instruct 28/11/07
      42.   TO NO 20 FORTUNA. 17:27  |  DANNY. 28/11/07
      43.   Iran used to be more or less a normal 17:27  |  TOMY 28/11/07
      44.   TO 24. 17:29  |  DANNY. 28/11/07
      45.   #9 Natallie,did you know 17:34  |  TOMY 28/11/07
      46.   to Tex 17:39  |  edgar 28/11/07
      47.   Annapolis and other Arab States 17:47  |  leucippe 28/11/07
      48.   the Islamist regime of Iran is the occupier! 17:47  |  Leon 28/11/07
      49.   ah-mad 17:48  |  The Teacher/Instruct 28/11/07
      50.   yes we know what happened to hitler 17:51  |  sam 28/11/07
      51.   Ahmadinejad the gay blade 17:52  |  Bobby 28/11/07
      52.   Ahmadinejad`s Judgement Is Getting Worse 17:53  |  Jeff Northridge 28/11/07
      53.   In world history, Israel is the only surviving entity 18:02  |  jew 28/11/07
      54.   # 9 Natallie Durson - Iran may be the only country in the world t 18:05  |  17 28/11/07
      55.   Amadinejad`s rant 18:10  |  Frances 28/11/07
      56.   It is he who is fearful 18:14  |  David 28/11/07
      57.   this article is also a failure 18:26  |  dr danielito 28/11/07
      58.   Unfortunately he is right 18:30  |  igco 28/11/07
      59.   Look at that million dollar grin 18:34  |  don 28/11/07
      60.   Edgar: Sweet Dreams, Punim 18:35  |  Tex 28/11/07
      61.   Ahmadinejad isn`t liked in his country. 18:35  |  Michael Korn 28/11/07
      62.   YES and NO 18:39  |  JJ 28/11/07
      63.   how did the Islamic revol. came to power and strived? by... 18:40  |  historian 28/11/07
      64.   Haman fell once will fall again 18:44  |  sam 28/11/07
      65.   Haaretz is the one that gives him a podium 18:56  |  Jake 28/11/07
      66.   Ah Mad in Jihad : PRESIDENT OF THE PRISON OF IRAN 18:56  |  B.Heddhim 28/11/07
      67.   Ballistic wishful thinking # 17 19:01  |  ChanahS 28/11/07
      68.   POP, Moabite King Mesha and Pharoah Merneptah agree with you 19:02  |  Jake 28/11/07
      69.   To Itzik # 14 - First, the Arabs are Abraham`s people... 19:03  |  Dagma 28/11/07
      70.   Mahmoud would know 19:08  |  can`t stand him 28/11/07
      71.   edgar 46 19:08  |  ChanahS 28/11/07