Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday asked UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to cancel his plans to participate in a conference of the Non-Aligned Movement, schedule to take place in Tehran in late August.

“Your trip to Iran is a big mistake, even if it is being done out of good intentions,” Netanyahu told Ban in a telephone call, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Netanyahu said Ban had “acted fairly” during his years leading the UN, adding, “Thus, I was so disappointed to hear about your trip to the Non-Aligned Movement conference in Tehran.”

Founded in 1961, the Non-Aligned Movement was created by developing countries seeking to steer a middle course during the Cold War. While the organization has 120 member states and 21 observer countries, only some 31 heads of state are scheduled to attend the Tehran conference, according to Iranian media reports.

For more, go to Haaretz.com

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