Iran supported the International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s ruling that a security barrier being built by Israel in the West Bank was illegal and must be torn down.

"This ruling, which came with the unanimous vote of the court's members barring America, is an important and historical step," the official IRNA new agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi as saying Saturday.

"This ruling indicates the clear opposition of the world community to the Zionist regime's expansionist and racist policies," Asefi said.

The vote must be used as an important international means to prevent repeated violation of the Palestinians' rights, Asefi pointed out.

Meanwhile, the spokesman also condemned Israel's rejection of the ruling, saying it showed "repeated violation of the international conventions by the Israeli government."

"The Zionist regime, relying on all-out American support, has made a laughing stock of the international community and its disrespect for the international laws is only one example of the regime's misbehavior," Asefi added.

The Hague-based ICJ said in its ruling Friday that the Israeli security barrier was illegal.

Source: Xinhua