He made an implicit threat to wipe Israel off the map. He stated, "Imam [Khomeini] said: 'This regime that is occupying Qods [Jerusalem] must be eliminated from the pages of history.' This sentence is very wise. The issue of Palestine is not an issue on which we can compromise." On the surface, this might seem like a hateful but passive opinion.

However, if one examines the rest of his speech, he implies an active role for Iran as Ayatollah Khomenei made Israel a target of the Islamic Revolution to which Ahmadinejad has committed himself throughout his career, as well as a duty for all Islamic nations to play an active role in that process. Some excerpts:

When the dear Imam [Khomeini] said that [the Shah's] regime must go, and that we demand a world without dependent governments, many people who claimed to have political and other knowledge [asked], 'Is it possible [that the Shah's regime can be toppled]?

...our nation stood firm, and by now we have, for 27 years, been living without a government dependent on America...

In his battle against the World of Arrogance, our dear Imam [Khomeini] set the regime occupying Qods [Jerusalem] as the target of his fight...

The Islamic people cannot allow this historical enemy to exist in the heart of the Islamic world...

Source of speech and quotes: Memri.org

Given the context of Ahmadinejad's remarks, it is not suprising that he was condemned by numerous leaders worldwide, even a senior Palestinian leader, for his extremism. That extremism is driven, in part, by a radical messianic pursuit. For example, The Telegraph reported:

Iran's dominant "Twelver" sect believes this will be Mohammed ibn Hasan, regarded as the 12th Imam, or righteous descendant of the Prophet Mohammad.

He is said to have gone into "occlusion" in the ninth century, at the age of five. His return will be preceded by cosmic chaos, war and bloodshed. After a cataclysmic confrontation with evil and darkness, the Mahdi will lead the world to an era of universal peace...

Mr Ahmadinejad appears to believe that these events are close at hand and that ordinary mortals can influence the divine timetable.

The prospect of such a man obtaining nuclear weapons is worrying. The unspoken question is this: is Mr Ahmadinejad now tempting a clash with the West because he feels safe in the belief of the imminent return of the Hidden Imam? Worse, might he be trying to provoke chaos in the hope of hastening his reappearance?

The issue of Mr. Ahmadinejad's messianic vision and his belief that he can be an instrument in helping bring it to fruition via influencing the "divine timetable," highlights the magnitude of the risk entailed by Iran's obtaining or developing nuclear weapons. It also provides invaluable context for Mr. Ahmadinejad's intent in suggesting that Israel must be eliminated.