UNITED NATIONS: UN leader Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday critized Iran’s vice president for saying that the Jewish book of law was a driving force behind the international drugs trade.

The comments by Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi have already been strongly condemned by Israel.

“The secretary general has on many occasions called on Iranian officials to refrain from these kinds of anti-Semitic statements. He does so again in response to these latest reported comments,” said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky.

“He believes it is the responsibility of leaders to promote harmony and understanding and he deeply regrets expressions of hatred and religious intolerance,” Nesirky added.

Rahimi launched his attack on the Jewish book of law, the Talmud, at a conference in Tehran on the narcotics trade in the presence of several foreign diplomats.

“The spread of narcotics in the world emanates from the teachings of the Talmud... whose objective is the destruction of the world,” Rahimi said in comments published by the official website of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as well as state media.

“The Talmud teaches that it is lawful to acquire wealth through legal and illegal means... which gives (the Jews) the right to destroy humanity,” he said.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman slammed the Iranian government for being “anti-Semitic fanatics” who seek the destruction of Israel. He also criticized the presence of Western representatives at the conference.