By Daily Mail Reporter

Channel 4’s decision to broadcast an Alternative Christmas Message by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad tonight has angered human rights campaigners and Israelis.

The speech by the hardline leader, whose anti-Western rhetoric and views on Israel and homosexuality have strained international relations between Iran and the West, is not scheduled at the same time as the Queen’s Speech on BBC and ITV as in previous years but will go out at 7.15pm.

Campaign groups attacked the broadcaster’s decision to air the speech, as ‘dangerous’ and motivated by ratings.

Attacked: Campaign groups say the broadcaster’s decision to air the speech is ‘dangerous’ and motivated by ratings

However, the president uses the message to express his wish for a peaceful New Year and greater spirituality among governments, leaders and society as a whole.

Speaking in Farsi with English subtitles he will say: ‘Jesus, the Son of Mary, is the standard bearer of justice, of love for our fellow human beings, of the fight against tyranny, discrimination and injustice.

‘If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would stand with the people in opposition to bullying, ill-tempered and expansionist powers.

‘If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would hoist the banner of justice and love for humanity to oppose warmongers, occupiers, terrorists and bullies the world over.

‘If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would fight against the tyrannical policies of prevailing global economic and political systems, as He did in His lifetime.’

But the Israeli Embassy branded the Christmas message a ’sick and twisted irony’.

He said Channel 4’s decision to broadcast the message was a ’scandal and a national embarrassment’ and in ‘its search for ratings and shock factor, Channel 4 has lost its ethical way’.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell joined the attack, and called on the broadcaster to ‘pull the plug on this criminal despot, who ranks with Robert Mugabe, Omar al-Bashir of Sudan and the Burmese military junta as one of the world’s most bloody tyrants’.

Stephen Smith, director of the Holocaust Centre, said the message should be treated with caution.

President Ahmadinejad’s views on the state of Israel and his claims that the Holocaust is a ‘myth’ have angered Jewish groups.

Mr Smith said: ‘I think this benign message is deceptive. People need to be alert to the fact that this is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

‘Many of his political and historical views are very dangerous and do not uphold the views in his message.’

Mr Smith criticised ‘the fact that somebody who openly denies the Holocaust is given legitimacy on prime-time television, someone who uses Holocaust denial to be divisive’.

Rabbi Aaron Goldstein, of Liberal Judaism, said: ‘I have no trouble with Channel 4 dealing with difficult issues. The Queen’s speech is so benign that it is worthwhile having something thought-provoking.

The Queen will highlight the impact of the credit crunch in her traditional Christmas message this year

‘But doing a sort of lucky dip to pick out a controversial character, then allowing him to make a lovey-dovey speech, that this character is being allowed to dress himself up as a kind of Father Christmas, that is problematic.’

However, Channel 4 received support from Ben Summerskill, director of gay rights group Stonewall.

He said: ‘In spite of his ridiculous and often offensive views, it is an important way of reminding him that there are some countries where free speech is not repressed.

‘If it serves that purpose, then Channel 4 will have done a significant public service.’

Louise Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside and chairwoman of the Labour Jewish Movement, also blasted Channel 4 for giving the Iranian leader a ‘platform’.

She said: ‘I condemn Channel 4’s decision to give an unchallenged platform to a dangerous fanatic who denies the holocaust while preparing for another and claims homosexuality does not exist while his regime hangs gay young men from cranes in the street.

‘Who will deliver next year’s alternative Christmas message? Will it be David Irving or Robert Mugabe?’

This is not the first time the channel has courted controversy with its choice of speaker. In 2006 a fully-veiled British-born Muslim woman used the message to attack Jack Straw for his criticism of the niqab (face veil) earlier the same year.

It is the broadcaster’s 16th alternative message since Quentin Crisp delivered the first in 1993.

Channel 4 head of news and current affairs Dorothy Byrne defended the decision to broadcast tonight’s message.

She said: ‘As the leader of one of the most powerful states in the Middle East, President Ahmadinejad’s views are enormously influential.

‘As we approach a critical time in international relations, we are offering our viewers an insight into an alternative world view.

‘Channel 4 has devoted more airtime to examining Iran than any other broadcaster and this message continues a long tradition of offering a different perspective on the
world around us.’

Channel 4 said there would be a short introduction to the message which will place President Ahmadinejad’s appearance in context.

It is the broadcaster’s 16th alternative message since Quentin Crisp delivered the first in 1993.

Those chosen have often been controversial and have been from countries across the world.

• 1993 English writer, actor and gay icon Quentin Crisp
• 1994 American civil rights activist and Baptist minister the Rev Jesse Jackson
• 1995 French actress and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot
• 1996 Scottish impressionist and comedian Rory Bremner as Diana, Princess of Wales
• 1997 Belfast schoolgirl Margaret Gibney
• 1998 Doreen and Neville Lawrence, the parents of murdered London teenager Stephen Lawrence
• 1999 English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen as Ali G
• 2000 Helen Jeffries from Wigan, whose 14-year-old daughter Zoe died of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) – the human form of mad cow disease
• 2001 Genelle Guzman, who survived terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre
• 2002 Sharon Osbourne, the TV personality, music manager and wife of rock star Ozzy Osbourne
• 2003 Barry and Michelle Seabourn, a Merseyside couple who appeared on Channel 4 reality show Wife Swap
• 2004 Cartoon character Marge Simpson of The Simpsons
• 2005 Chef Jamie Oliver
• 2006  A British Muslim woman with her face covered by a niqab, a traditional veil
• 2007 Major Andrew Stockton, a British soldier who lost his arm fighting in Afghanistan