Israel nothing more than a buzzing mosquito, Ahmadinejad says

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad compared to Israel to an annoying insect Saturday, saying the Jewish state offered no challenge to Tehran’s nuclear program.

“Israel is nothing more than a mosquito which cannot see the broad horizon of the Iranian nation,” Ahmadinejad said in a speech in the northern Khorassan Razavi province, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.

Ahmadinejad also said Israel’s attempts to impede the progress of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program had failed.

Israel has long portrayed Iran’s nuclear program as a threat to its existence, and has reportedly been seeking world support for a military strike on the program should talks and sanctions on Tehran fail.

Much of the West believes Iran’s nuclear activity includes enriching uranium for military applications, but Iran claims its program is for peaceful purposes only.

A second round of talks on the country’s nuclear program are scheduled for May 23 between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN security council plus Germany, known as P5+1.

A meeting last month in Istanbul ended with no results, and was slammed by Israel as buying Tehran time to continue enriching uranium.

Ahmadinejad also spoke out Saturday against the countries participating in the talks, calling them international criminals, according to Fars.

“They decide and act with utmost irrationality, but they show their deeds as rational actions,” he said.