President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has said Iran considered the controversy over its nuclear programme over, while launching a broad attack on the United States at the UN General Assembly.
UNITED NATIONS: President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has said Iran considered the controversy over its nuclear programme over, while launching a broad attack on the United States at the UN General Assembly.
In a wide-ranging speech, Ahmadinejad accused Washington of arrogance and human rights abuses, speaking at the same spot where US President George W Bush had earlier spoken of the primacy of human rights and freedom.
Without specifically naming them by name, Ahmadinejad said Washington and its allies had been had bullying Iran -- who they accuse of trying to develop nuclear weapons -- and pressuring the International Atomic Energy Agency.
"Fortunately, the IAEA has recently tried to regain its legal role as supporter of the rights of its members while supervising nuclear activities," Ahmadinejad said.
"Today, because of the resistance of the Iranian nation, the issue is back to the Agency, and I officially announce that in our opinion, the nuclear issue of Iran is now closed and has turned into an ordinary Agency matter," he said on Tuesday.
In a 40-minute speech, the Iranian leader went on to accuse Washington of human rights abuses in its "war on terror" with allusions to CIA programs of rendition and detention in camps such as Guantanamo Bay.
"Unfortunately human rights are being extensively violated by certain powers, especially by those who pretend to be their exclusive advocates," Ahmadinejad said, again without mentioning the United States by name.
He continued by criticising the US-led invasion of Iraq, which he said was "occupied under the pretext of overthrowing the dictator and the existence of weapons of mass destruction."
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