The United States on Thursday urged Iran to behave in a responsible manner as a member state of the United Nations rather than followed suit to support Israel's call for expelling Iran from the international body.

"Iran is a member of the United Nations," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. "What I think we would encourage instead is Iran to start behaving in a responsible manner as a member of the international community."

Following Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Wednesday call for Israel to be "wiped off the map," Israel retaliated by calling for expelling Iran from the United Nations.

While the international community expressed shock and disapproval of the Iranian president's words, Israel's reprisal has drawn no support either.

Source: Xinhua