Iran’s leader rails against capitalism

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Under increasing attack over Iran’s suspected nuclear-weapons program, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday that Tehran was ready to meet conciliation with conciliation.

Ahmadinejad spoke to a half-empty chamber as he sought to cast himself as a beleaguered champion of the developing world, that he portrayed as under attack from rapacious capitalism.

At the same time, the Iranian leader issued stinging attacks on the United States and its allies without calling them by name, prompting a walkout by the U.S. delegation.

Ahmadinejad made only passing reference to the nuclear issue, a call for global nuclear disarmament.

Moments before he spoke, foreign ministers of six global powers told reporters on the sidelines of the General Assembly that they expect Iran to come clean about its nuclear program. Tougher sanctions against Iran are being considered if talks between the powers and Iran on the issue, set for Oct. 1, don’t yield results.

At times, Ahmadinejad struck a softer tone, declaring that Tehran was “prepared to warmly shake all those hands which are honestly extended to us.” He peppered his speech with religious references, invoking the prophets of Judaism and Christianity, as well as Islam.

Yet most of the speech focused on his usual themes — scathing verbal attacks on archenemy Israel and the West.

He assailed Israel for what he said was a “barbaric” attack on the Gaza Strip last winter. He also accused the West of hypocrisy, saying it preached democracy but violated its fundamental principles.

In earlier speeches to the General Assembly, U.S. President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and others had taken Iran to task for its nuclear ambitions.

Russia has stood in the way of stronger action against Tehran in the past, but Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday, after a meeting with Obama, that “in some cases, sanctions are inevitable.”