Iran: Holocaust remarks misunderstood

Widely condemned remarks by Iran's president about Israel and the Holocaust were "misunderstood" by Western governments, the country's interior minister has said.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad provoked international outrage on Wednesday when he described the Holocaust as "a myth" and suggested that Israel be moved to Europe, the United States, Canada or Alaska.

But speaking at an Athens conference on immigration on Friday, Mostafa Pourmohammadi told The Associated Press: "Actually the case has been misunderstood. (Ahmadinejad) did not mean to raise this matter."

Ahmadinejad "wanted to say that if others harmed the Jewish community and created problems for the Jewish community, they have to pay the price themselves. People like the Palestinian people or other nations should not pay the price (for it).

"A historical incident has occurred. Correct or not correct. We don't want to launch research or carry out historical investigation about it," he said without elaborating.