The FINANCIAL -- European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton added her voice Saturday to condemnation of the latest anti-Israel comments made by Iranian leaders.

Ashton joined the United States, France and UN chief Ban Ki-moon in condemning remarks by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who called Israel a "cancerous tumour" Friday, while supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday said Israel was a "fake Zionist outgrowth" that would "disappear".

"The high representative (Ashton) strongly condemns the outrageous and hateful remarks threatening Israel's existence by the supreme leader and the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Ashton's office said in a statement.

"Israel's right to exist must not be called into question.

"The high representative calls upon Iran to play a constructive role in the region and expects its leaders to contribute to de-escalate tension and not to fuel it."

As EUbusiness reported, Israeli media have speculated in recent weeks that the Israeli military may be on the verge of attacking nuclear facilities in Iran, which has been locked in a showdown with the US and its allies over its nuclear programme.

Tehran insists the programme is for civilian purposes, but the West suspects it is aimed at acquiring the atomic bomb.

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