Danny Gillerman, Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N., demanded that the U.N. remove Iran from the organization, following Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's declaration Wednesday that Israel should be 'wiped off the map."

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon instructed the Foreign Ministry to activate Gillerman.

The PM has been urged to respond by Vice Premier Shimon Peres, who wrote in a letter to Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom that "It is unacceptable that the leader of a state member of the U.N. advocates genocide." .

Ahmadinejad's words have spurred a wave of harsh condemnation worldwide.

White House Spokesman Scott McClellan said Washington took Iran's statement seriously."It underscores the concerns we have about Iran's nuclear intentions," he told reporters.

Spain's Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos summoned Iran's ambassador to protest the comments.

The minister said in a statement he rejected the remarks in the strongest possible terms and added he had called for an urgent meeting with Iran's ambassador in Madrid.

France's Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said he has invited the Iranian ambassador in his country for talks following the Iranian president's statements.

"If the reports are true, this is unfathomable. I completely condemn the statements," said Douste-Blazy.

Britain's Foreign Office said Wednesday it planned to protest "Sickening" Comments made by the

president of Iran calling for Israel to be "wiped off the

map."

A British Foreign Office spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government policy, said the deadly suicide bombing which killed at least five people in

Israel Wednesday illustrated the "horrible reality" of the violence being praised by Ahmadinejad. 

Canada strongly condemned Iran's president.

"This is the 21st century. We cannot tolerate comments of such hatred, such anti-Semitism, such intolerance," Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew told reporters.

'Iran – a clear and present danger'

Iran represents a clear and present danger to Israel, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said during a press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov Wednesday.

"It is obvious that the country is trying to stall for time in order to develop nuclear weapons," he said.

"We believe that Russia and the international community should do whatever is in their powers to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear capabilities. A nuclear Iran will constitute a nightmare not only for Israel, but for Russia and the international community as well. Therefore Iran's case must be brought in front of the Security Council," Shalom said.

Lavrov stated that Russia has always maintained that Iran should be banned from having a nuclear bomb. "This is our firm standpoint on the matter, and we have often conveyed it to Iran in negotiations with the country," Lavrov said.

Sources in Israel have defined Iran's nuclear armament policy "a strategic risk," and said they fear that soon the country will reach a point of no return after which it will be capable of developing nuclear arms independently, without foreign assistance. This will free Iran of international monitoring and supervision.