Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Israel is a "disgraceful blot" that should be "wiped off the map." Speaking to thousands of students at a "World without Zionism" conference, Ahmadinejad said, “There is no doubt that the new wave [of attacks] in Palestine will soon wipe this disgraceful blot from the face of the Islamic world." The remarks set off alarm bells about Iran’s program to develop nuclear weapons. "I think it reconfirms what we have been saying about the regime in Iran," said White House press secretary Scott McClellan. "It underscores the concerns we have about Iran's nuclear intentions." In response to the remarks, Israel's Vice Premier Shimon Peres said Iran should be expelled from the United Nations.