DAR AL HARB - ISRAEL / U.S.A.: THE UNITED STATES & ISRAEL WALK OUT OF A U.N. FORUM

US and Israel in UN walk-out

Israeli and US delegations walked out of the United Nations' disarmament forum today after Iran said Israel was the "real source of nuclear danger in the Middle East" and had a "dark record of crimes".

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told a Conference on Disarmament that Israel's nuclear weapons posed a "uniquely grave threat to regional and international peace and security" requiring action by the international community.

He also accused the Jewish state of being a "Zionist regime with a long and dark record of crimes and atrocities" including occupation, "state-terrorism" and crimes against humanity.

"It is surprising that while no practical step is taken to contain [the] real source of nuclear danger in the Middle East, my country is under tremendous pressure to renounce its inalienable right for peaceful use of nuclear energy", Mr Mottaki told the conference.

In a statement, Israel's ambassador Itzhak Levanon to the UN in Geneva, said that he and his aides, and the entire US delegation had "abruptly left the room as the Foreign Minister of Iran ... was in the middle of a vitriolic speech".

Mr Levanon said Mr Mottaki's speech was a "blatant insult" to the forum and the "only explanation for their undiplomatic behaviour is that they are under much pressure as the international community unites against Iran's pursuit of a nuclear regime".

A US spokeswoman in Geneva confirmed the walk-out and called Mr Mottaki's remarks "outrageous and divisive" at a time the forum was trying to find common ground on global arms issues.

The conference was organised by the 65 members of the world's main forum for arms control negotiations.

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1) US and Israel in UN walk-out