Russia too blasts Ahmadinejad's 'Holocaust-a myth' remark

Jerusalem, Sep 20 (ANI): Following the US and UK deploring Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's 'Holocaust- a myth' remark, Russia too has called his statement "totally unacceptable."

The Jerusalem Post quoted Russian foreign ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko as saying that "such statements, wherever they come from, contradict the truth and are totally unacceptable."

"Attempts to rewrite history, especially as the 70th anniversary of the start of World War II is being marked this year, are an offense to the memory of all victims and all those who fought fascism," Nesterenko added.

On Friday, Ahmadinejad had told a rally in Tehran that the Holocaust was "a false pretext to create Israel." He also called on all Muslims to confront the "Zionist regime [as] a national and religious duty."

US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice had termed Ahmadinejad's comments as "hateful."

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs was quoted as saying: "Obviously we condemn what he said." British Foreign Secretary David Miliband also criticized Ahmadinejad's 'myth' remark. In a statement communicated by the UK Embassy in Israel, Miliband had said: "Ahmadinejad's repeated denials of the Holocaust are abhorrent as well as ignorant. It is very important that the world community stands up against this tide of abuse. This outburst is not worthy of the leader of Iran." "Iran's people have a great history and culture. I cannot believe that the vast majority of them want to rewrite this chapter of history rather than focus on the future. The coincidence of today's comments with the start of Jewish New Year only adds to the insult," he added. (ANI)