Mr Ahmadinejad's comments came at a conference in Tehran entitled The World Without Zionism, where he says in a reference to Iran's late revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini: "As the Imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map". Mr Howard, whose Government is a strong supporter of Israel, says he is concerned at Mr Ahmadinejad's comments and believed the United Nations should take action. "It's a very dangerous, serious speech," Mr Howard told reporters in Papua New Guinea, where he is attending the Pacific Leaders Forum. "I think it does represent grounds for very great concern. To have the president of any country saying another should be wiped off the face of the earth is a reminder of the psychological pressure, quite apart from the actual pressure, that the state of Israel is under, and this obviously is an issue that the United Nations has to address."
Mr Howard did not specify how he believed the UN should deal with the issue, although Israel has called for Iran to be ousted from the world body over the remarks.