Tehran: In fresh verbal attacks against Israel, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused Israel of “dragging the world into turmoil”.

"About 2,000 organised Zionists and 7,000 to 8,000 agents of Zionism have dragged the world into turmoil," Ahmadinejad told a rally in Iran’s Arak city on Saturday.

He said that if the West does not restrain Zionism, "the powerful hand of the nations will clean these sources of corruption from the face of the earth."

Iran does not recognise Israel, and Ahmadinejad has repeatedly vowed to wipe Israel off the map.

Israel, on the other hand, is accusing Iran of seeking nuclear weapons and wants tougher sanctions against the Islamic republic.