By Rod McGuirk
Canberra - Australia on Wednesday withdrew a threat to take the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the International Court of Justice for inciting violence against Israel.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said his government had mulled over the option for months before deciding that a trial could distract attention from international efforts to end Iran's nuclear programme.
"We determined to avoid pursuing a case which would give further profile to these obscene remarks," Smith told parliament.
"Most importantly, the Australian government would not want such legal action to complicate or distract from the international community's efforts to address the serious concerns about Iran's nuclear programme," he said.
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The government said in May it was considering bringing a case against Ahmadinejad for repeatedly making anti-Semitic statements and his calling for Israel to be wiped off the map.
Smith also announced that Australia had extended financial and trade sanctions against Iran to include 20 Iranian individuals and 18 organizations which contribute to that country's nuclear and missile programs.
The government would also stop funding trade promotions between the two countries, he said.
The sanctions are aimed at Iran's refusal to obey UN Security Council resolutions by suspending uranium enrichment and reprocessing.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd came to power at elections in November last year, promising that Australia would play a more active role in international affairs and to pursue the Iranian leader in the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
The UN court settles disputes between states according to international law.
No one at the Iranian Embassy in Australia was immediately available for comment Wednesday. - Sapa-AP
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