Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Israel is dying and that its 60th anniversary celebrations are an attempt to prevent its annihilation.

“The Zionist regime is dying. The criminals assume that by holding celebrations ... they can save the sinister Zionist regime from death and annihilation,” Ahmadinejad said. He used an Arabic word, ismihlal, that can also be translated as destruction, death and collapse.

Iran doesn’t recognize Israel, and Ahmadinejad has repeatedly called for Israel’s destruction.

President Bush is in Israel for the anniversary celebrations.