Germany condemns as ‘shocking’ Holocaust conference in Tehran

THE German Government yesterday condemned a planned Iranian conference on the Holocaust, calling attempts to question the Nazis’ murder of Jews “shocking and unacceptable”.

The conference, scheduled for tomorrow and Monday, was organised by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has called the systematic killing of some six million Jews a “myth” and “exaggerated”.

Some 67 foreign researchers from 30 countries are scheduled to attend the two-day meeting.

“We condemn all past and future attempts of anyone who gives a platform to those who question the Holocaust,” said Jens Ploetner, a spokesman for Germany’s Foreign Ministry.

The Iranian president has also previously called for Israel to be “wiped off the map”, and the Tehran conference appears to be part of Mr Ahmadinejad’s public campaign against the Jewish state.

Mr Ploetner stressed “the German Government finds all statements that question the right of Israel to exist or the Holocaust shocking and unacceptable”.