Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday called for the formation of an " international front against Zionism."

Ahmadinejad made the call at an international conference with the theme of "In Support of Palestine, the Symbol of Resistance; Gaza, the Victim of Crime."

"An anti-Zionism international front should put mobilizing and rendering support to Gaza and Palestine at the top of its agenda," Ahmadinejad told the conference, adding the international front would also "earnestly work to take Zionist war criminals before an eligible court."

He stressed that the world should look at Zionism not "as a religion but as a manner full of evil and satanic objectives and means," adding Israel's basic philosophy of existence was "to scatter corruption, aggression and expansionism throughout the world."

Earlier, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also told the same meeting that Israeli leaders should be tried for their latest attack on Gaza.

"Bring to trial the political and military heads of the usurper regime (Israel) who have had a role in bringing about the Gaza tragedy," Khamenei urged.

Iran on Wednesday morning began the two-day international conference in support of Palestinians, calling for trial of Israeli leaders for their latest attack on Gaza.

The recent Israeli assault on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip killed more than 1,300 Palestinians and wounded 5,500 others, besides demolishing more than 14,000 homes, 68 government buildings and 31 offices of nongovernmental organizations, according to UN reports.

The Tehran conference gathered about 80 delegations, which included government officials, parliamentary members, legal personalities and nongovernmental human rights activities.

The participants also include senior officials from the main Palestinian groups, such as Hamas, Fatah and Islamic Jihad.

Iran, which does not recognize Israel, has strongly criticized the 22-day Israeli offensive on Gaza in December and January.

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2009)