EU condemns Iranian President's denial of Holocaust

STOCKHOLM, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on Sunday condemned Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his statements to repeat denials of the Holocaust and of the right to exist of the State of Israel at the Quds Day rally in Tehran.

"Such statements encourage anti-Semitism and hatred," said Sweden, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, in a statement.

"We call on the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran to contribute constructively to peace and security in the Middle East," the statement added.

The Holocaust was a "myth" created by the West to support Israel, Ahmadinejad reiterated at the Quds Day rally in Tehran on Friday.