37. Condemns the Iranian President's call for Israel to be wiped off the map; expresses its concerns about the human rights situation in Iran and the fact that – due to Iran's lack of engagement – the human rights dialogue with Iran has been interrupted since its last round in June 2004; calls on Iran to re-engage in the dialogue and, drawing on input from the EU, to define benchmarks aimed at real improvements in the field; welcomes the clear statement in the Council conclusions of 12 December 2005 to this effect; calls on the Council to continue, in particular, its demarches towards Iran on individual cases and welcomes in this reg ...[+++]ard the Austrian Presidency's commitment; expresses its regret at Iran's poor human rights record during the first six months of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's term of office and calls upon the Commission to take all necessary measures within the framework of the European human rights initiative to intensify contacts and cooperation with Iranian civil society and further support democracy and human rights;

37. Condemns the Iranian President’s call for Israel to be wiped off the map; expresses its concerns about the human rights situation in Iran and the fact that the human rights dialogue with Iran – due to Iran’s lack of engagement – has been interrupted since its last round in June 2004; calls on Iran to re-engage in the dialogue and, drawing on input from the EU, to define benchmarks aiming at real improvements in the field; welcomes the clear statement in the Council conclusions of 12 December 2005 to this effect; calls on the Council to continue in particular its démarches towards Iran on individual cases and welcomes in this rega ...[+++]rd the Austrian Presidency’s commitment; expresses its regret at Iran's poor human rights record during the first six months of President Mahmouh Ahmadinejad's term of office and calls upon the Commission to take all the necessary measures within the framework of the European human rights' initiative to intensify contacts and cooperation with Iranian civil society and further support democracy and human rights;

A. whereas, on Wednesday, 26 October 2005 at a conference in Tehran entitled 'The World without Zionism', the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, referred to Iran's late revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and stated that Israel must be 'wiped off the map',

A. whereas, on Wednesday, 26 October at a conference in Tehran entitled 'The World without Zionism', the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, referred to Iran's late revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and stated that Israel must be 'wiped off the map',

That is the equivalent to a medium-sized town being wiped off the face of the earth every year.

Coastal areas, but also entire islands and archipelagos, could be wiped off the map as the ice melts and oceans swell.