Ahmadinejad Says Israel 'Will One Day Vanish'

Ahmadinejad made the statement in a speech to students during a visit to Indonesia. He has previously declared that Israel should be "wiped off the map."

The comments come a day after UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged Iran to drop what he called its "aggressive posture" and be open to discussions on its nuclear program. Annan expressed hope over efforts by France, Germany, and Britain to persuade Iran to stop its uranium-enrichment program.

In a television interview earlier today, Ahmadinejad said he is ready to negotiate with any country to resolve the nuclear dispute -- except Israel, which Iran does not recognize. But he warned that threats against Iran would make talks difficult.

(AP, AFP)