The time has come for the disappearance of Israel and the West from the face of the universe, a senior Iranian official was quoted as saying on Thursday, July 5, adding that they were the “prime sources of tyranny and gloom,” Haaretz reported. Speaking at a Tehran conference, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said that “the time has come for the disappearance of the West and the Zionist regime – which are two dark spots in the present era – from the face of the universe.” The comment came after earlier Thursday the head of Iran’s nuclear agency said that newly approved E.U. sanctions against the country’s oil industry would not halt the progress of Iran’s nuclear program. Earlier this week, Iran test-fired several long-range ballistic missiles capable of hitting U.S. bases and Israel, as part of an extensive military drill.