Rice: Profound changes underway in Middle East

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave her strongest rebuke yet yesterday to the renewed hard-line Islamic leadership of Iran, saying that “no civilised nation” can call for the annihilation of another.

Rice was referring to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s remark last month that Israel is a ”disgraceful blot” that should be “wiped off the map.” Her remarks drew applause from politicians, diplomats and others gathered for a US-Israeli symposium.