TEHRAN -- German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, reiterating his concern about Washington's latest military policy, in Berlin Friday questioned seriously U.S. President George W. Bush's labeling of Iran as part of an "axis of evil".

Addressing the German Parliament during a live television broadcast, Fischer said Bush had used "a very tough language", using the term "axis of evil" for Iran, North Korea and Iraq.

Earlier in the day, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder refused to comment on Bush's "axis of evil" categorization. "It's not my job to evaluate speeches of the U.S. president either one way or the other," said Schroeder at a news conference.

Meanwhile, the former U.S. president Jimmy Carter said that the "axis of evil" statement of U.S. President George W. Bush is not constructive.

The Fax News TV network quoted Carter as saying on Friday that the statement has harmed the American official's efforts during the past years to reach rapprochement with Iran, North Korea and Iraq.

Also, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Head of the European Union's Council of Ministers Josep Pique Camps termed Bush's expression of "axis of evil" inappropriate.

He said he did not agree with the term of "axis of evil" adding Iran, Iraq and North Korea could not form such an axis. These three countries are not identical to each other and one has to make a distinction between them, he said.

The Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday condemned the U.S. accusations against Iran and reiterated his country's support for the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In a meeting with Iranian Minister of Industry and Mines Es'haq Jahangiri, he stressed that the Islamic Republic commands special importance in his country's foreign policy.