Iran has long been a source of concern for the entire civilised world. It has long been a country which has been a source of dispute both among Western nations and among Arab nations. A few months ago, the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did very little to convince anyone that Iran was about to take the road

towards diplomatic reconciliation with the international community. Indeed Iran’s new president has in fact taken the opposite road – that of isolation and confrontation.

Recently, during the “World without Zionism” day Ahmadinejad declared that the state of Israel, “must

be wiped out from the map of the world”. Iran has long sought to develop a nuclear program; a program which it promises is for peaceful purposes. Yet this is the same nation that joined the UN and signed

a treaty declaring that it will not seek the destruction of a fellow member state. Iran has ignored and in fact gone against the international community time and time again, therefore to trust Iran once again would be foolish to say the least.

Iran has proven itself to be a nation that has no idea what international law is. It is a nation that is trying to use other people’s struggles to justify its own lust for violence against the Jewish state.

Irrelevant of whether one agrees with Israel’s policy with the Palestinian authority and irrelevant of what one thinks of Israel’s control of Jerusalem, declaring in such a brutal and open manner the wish for the destruction of this state cannot be tolerated.

Iran should be as an initial step thrown out of the UN. If this is how Mr Ahmadinejad feels,

then his regime does not belong in an organisation whose main aim is to foster peace and tolerance among nations. The Iranian regime has had its fair share of talks and chances. Now is the time for action. Now is the time to isolate Iran.

Angelo Micallef

Marsaxlokk