国际英语新闻：Israeli president warns IAEA chief of Iranian threat

JERUSALEM, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Israeli President Shimon Peres met on Wednesday with International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano in Jerusalem and warned the IAEA head of recent statements by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attacking Israel and denying the Holocaust.

"The statements of Ahmadinejad calling for the destruction of Israel and denying the Holocaust are uNPRecedented in the diplomatic world and international community and the IAEA should treat them with the required severity," Peres said.

"Israel and the world are under the threat of Iran who does not hesitate to threaten to use nuclear weapons," Peres told Amano, adding, "One cannot separate the country's nuclear program from the nature of its regime."

Peres complimented Amano on what he termed a "substantive change" from his predecessors, saying that as a result, "we can speak this morning professionally and in a friendly atmosphere. From our perspective this is a new experience."

Amano also met with several Israeli officials during his visit, according to a statement from Peres' office, including Shaul Horev, director general of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission, and Deputy Prime Minister and Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon.

"I met with Minister Ya'alon, visited the Soreq Nuclear Research Center, my hosts took me on a helicopter tour of Israel," Amano said of the three-day working visit.