Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, in an interview aired on Sunday, called Israel a “false regime” and suggested that there were only “some signs” the Holocaust had occurred and that research into the validity of them should go forward.
Asked during the interview with CBS‘s 60 Minutes program whether he believed that six million Jews were murdered in the Shoah, Raisi said, “Historical events should be investigated by researchers and historians.”
In response to the comments, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid posted graphic images from the Holocaust to his official Twitter account.
Asked about Israel’s right to exist, the Iranian president said, “You see, the people of Palestine are the reality. This is the right of the people of Palestine who were forced to leave their houses and motherland. The Americans are supporting this false regime there to take root and to be established there.”
Raisi added that Iran would make no concessions on the deadlocked nuclear negotiations with world powers, aimed at reviving the 2015 deal.
“Yes, they can create restrictions and problems for us and difficulties. But there’s a number of countries that are being sanctioned. By doing this, they are bringing them closer together, making them more united. And this will render American sanctions ineffective,” he said.