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Barack Obama delivers a speech - Source: Reuters -
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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stuck to his script of
railing against Israel and the United States in a speech that shed
no new light on the Islamic state's nuclear strategy.
Ahmadinejad accused Israel of inhuman policies in the Palestinian
territories and of dominating world political and economic affairs
in his speech to the UN General Assembly, just hours after US
President Barack Obama spoke.
Opposition to Israel is one of the cornerstones of belief of Shiite
Iran, which backs Palestinian and Lebanese Islamic militant groups
opposed to peace with the Jewish state.
The Iranian president did not directly mention Tehran's nuclear
standoff with the West - which accuses Iran of covertly trying to
acquire atomic bomb.
Ahmadinejad said Iran strongly defended its legitimate and legal
right - a phrase he often uses in connection with the right to
nuclear power.
Ahmadinejad called for the eradication of arms race and elimination
of all nuclear, chemical and biological weapons to pave the way for
all nations to have access to advanced and peaceful
technologies.
"Our nation is prepared to warmly shake all those hands which are
honestly extended to us," he said in a speech that lacked the
fireworks of his previous appearances at the United Nations, or
even that of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi who spoke for an hour
and 35 minutes earlier in the day.
Ahmadinejad accused foreign forces of spreading war, bloodshed,
aggression, terror and intimidation in the Middle East, citing the
US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Washington accuses Tehran of interference in Iraq by backing Shiite
militias, and of sponsoring terrorism, including the Palestinian
group Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah. Tehran denies the
charges.
On Israel
On Israel - a frequent target of Ahmadinejad's fury - the Iranian
leader said, "The awakening of nations and the expansion of freedom
worldwide will no longer allow them to continue their hypocrisy and
vicious attitudes."
"How can one imagine that the inhuman policies in Palestine may
continue?" he asked.
Iran refuses to recognize Israel.
"How can crimes of the occupiers against defenceless women and
children and destruction of their homes, farms, hospitals and
schools be supported unconditionally by certain governments?"
The Iranian leader said it was time for the world to respond.
"It is no longer acceptable that a small minority would dominate
the politics, economy and culture of major parts of the world by
its complicated networks, and establish a new form of slavery, and
harm the reputation of other nations, even European nations and the
US, to attain its racist ambitions," he said.
Several delegations, including that of the United States, left the
hall around the time of his comments apparently directed at
Israel.
The hall remained at least half full throughout the speech,
which drew little reaction from delegates.
Ahmadinejad, the target of a protest earlier outside the Iranian
mission to the United Nations, appeared to brush off opposition
accusations that his re-election in June was a fraud.
"Our nation has gone through a glorious and fully democratic
election, opening a new chapter for our country in the march
towards national progress and enhanced international interactions,"
he said.
