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| Iran Holocaust conference opens | Iran Holocaust conference opens |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A two-day conference which says it will examine whether the Holocaust actually happened has opened in Iran. | A two-day conference which says it will examine whether the Holocaust actually happened has opened in Iran. |
| Organisers insist the event will offer a chance to discuss "questions" about the Holocaust without taboos. | Organisers insist the event will offer a chance to discuss "questions" about the Holocaust without taboos. |
| Several countries have condemned the conference, including Germany - where Holocaust denial is a crime. | Several countries have condemned the conference, including Germany - where Holocaust denial is a crime. |
| Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who backs the event, has publicly questioned the scale of the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were killed. | Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who backs the event, has publicly questioned the scale of the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were killed. |
| According to the Foreign Ministry in Tehran, 67 researchers from 30 countries are attending the conference in Iran, which is home to 25,000 Jews. | According to the Foreign Ministry in Tehran, 67 researchers from 30 countries are attending the conference in Iran, which is home to 25,000 Jews. |
| Its main aim is to create an opportunity for thinkers who cannot express their views freely in Europe about the Holocaust Manouchehr Mottaki Iranian foreign minister | Its main aim is to create an opportunity for thinkers who cannot express their views freely in Europe about the Holocaust Manouchehr Mottaki Iranian foreign minister |
| Participants include a number of well-known "revisionist" Western academics. American David Duke, a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, is to present a paper. | |
| But a number of Jewish rabbis are also there. One, British Rabbi Ahron Cohen, said he had come to the conference to put the "Orthodox Jewish viewpoint" across. | But a number of Jewish rabbis are also there. One, British Rabbi Ahron Cohen, said he had come to the conference to put the "Orthodox Jewish viewpoint" across. |
| "We certainly say there was a Holocaust, we lived through the Holocaust. But in no way can it be used as a justification for perpetrating unjust acts against the Palestinians," he said. | "We certainly say there was a Holocaust, we lived through the Holocaust. But in no way can it be used as a justification for perpetrating unjust acts against the Palestinians," he said. |
| 'Express views freely' | 'Express views freely' |
| Opening the conference, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the aim of the conference was "not to deny or confirm the Holocaust". | Opening the conference, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the aim of the conference was "not to deny or confirm the Holocaust". |
| "Its main aim is to create an opportunity for thinkers who cannot express their views freely in Europe about the Holocaust," he said. | "Its main aim is to create an opportunity for thinkers who cannot express their views freely in Europe about the Holocaust," he said. |
| CONFERENCE PARICIPANTS Australian Fredrick Toeben, jailed in Germany for incitement and insulting the memory of the deadFrenchman Robert Faurisson, convicted in France under Holocaust denial lawsFrenchman Georges Thiel, convicted in France under Holocaust denial lawsAmerican David Duke, a former KKK leader and white supremacist | |
| But earlier, a spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, Manouchehr Mohammadi, said the conference would examine fundamental questions about the Holocaust. | But earlier, a spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, Manouchehr Mohammadi, said the conference would examine fundamental questions about the Holocaust. |
| "The first question to be posed is: Did the Holocaust actually happen or not? And the second one is: If it did happen, what was the scale of it? | |
| "The allegation that six million Jews were killed or burnt in this event, is it true or not?" | "The allegation that six million Jews were killed or burnt in this event, is it true or not?" |
| The Iranian president has repeatedly downplayed the extent of the killing, describing it as a myth used to justify the existence of Israel and oppression of the Palestinians. He has called for Israel to be dismantled. | The Iranian president has repeatedly downplayed the extent of the killing, describing it as a myth used to justify the existence of Israel and oppression of the Palestinians. He has called for Israel to be dismantled. |
| But in a number of European countries - including Austria and France - it is illegal to deny the Holocaust. An Austrian court jailed Briton David Irving for three years on charges of Holocaust denial. | |
| 'Negative impression' | 'Negative impression' |
| Iran knows this conference is going to cause outrage abroad but it says it wants to test the limits of the West's commitment to freedom of speech, says the BBC's correspondent in Tehran, Frances Harrison. | Iran knows this conference is going to cause outrage abroad but it says it wants to test the limits of the West's commitment to freedom of speech, says the BBC's correspondent in Tehran, Frances Harrison. |
| Iran's president regularly speaks out against the Holocaust | |
| Iran is drawing a parallel with the Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, which provoked outrage in the Islamic world but were defended by Western liberals, she adds. | Iran is drawing a parallel with the Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, which provoked outrage in the Islamic world but were defended by Western liberals, she adds. |
| The US state department described the conference as "yet another disgraceful act on this particular subject by the regime in Tehran". | The US state department described the conference as "yet another disgraceful act on this particular subject by the regime in Tehran". |
| Khaled Kasab Mahameed, an Israeli Arab who plans to attend the conference and runs a small museum about the Holocaust in his home in Nazareth, told the BBC that the concept was flawed. | Khaled Kasab Mahameed, an Israeli Arab who plans to attend the conference and runs a small museum about the Holocaust in his home in Nazareth, told the BBC that the concept was flawed. |
| "I think the Iranian president acknowledges the importance and the centrality of the Holocaust in shaping policies in the world. | "I think the Iranian president acknowledges the importance and the centrality of the Holocaust in shaping policies in the world. |
| "He thinks that Israel gets support because of the Holocaust, so his only weapon is to deny it, and that's not good." | "He thinks that Israel gets support because of the Holocaust, so his only weapon is to deny it, and that's not good." |
| Iran's one Jewish MP, Morris Motamed, told the BBC he opposed the conference. | Iran's one Jewish MP, Morris Motamed, told the BBC he opposed the conference. |
| "Holding this conference after having a competition of cartoons about the Holocaust has put a lot of pressure on Jews all over the world and it can give nations and governments a very negative impression of Iran," he said. | "Holding this conference after having a competition of cartoons about the Holocaust has put a lot of pressure on Jews all over the world and it can give nations and governments a very negative impression of Iran," he said. |