TEHRAN: Iran's president accused Israel yesterday of using the Holocaust as a pretext for "genocide" against Palestinians.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who outraged the West in 2005 by calling Israel a "tumour" to be wiped off the map, said the truth should be told about Second World War and the Holocaust.

"Iran condemns fabricating such a pretext (the Holocaust) for the Zionist regime to commit genocide against the Palestinian nation and occupy Palestine," Ahmadinejad said.

"The Iranian nation and countries in the region will not rest until Palestine is free and criminals punished," he said.

Meanwhile, France and Germany signalled yesterday that European Union could punish Iran for pressing ahead with its nuclear programme before the world's top powers agree on further sanctions.

Ahmadinejad vowed that Iran will not negotiate over its "nuclear rights" but said the government was prepared to answer questions from the UN nuclear watchdog agency.