The last time Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke at the United Nations here in New York, in September of 2009, a dozen countries walked out in protest as the Iranian leader accused Israel of being a racist nation guilty of genocide and intent on world domination. Today the firebrand returns to speak at the opening of the monthlong nonproliferation conference, where Iran’s alleged pursuit of a nuclear weapon will be a contentious issue. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who will take the stage after Ahmadinejad, said yesterday that she would be ever so pleased if Ahmadinejad commits to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, but she expects that he’ll just “try to divert attention and confuse the issue.” Aaaaand she’s probably right:
Before leaving Tehran on Sunday, Ahmadinejad gave a glimpse into the tone he would likely be taking into the U.N.“We have documents that prove [Washington] is the root of world terrorism,” Ahmadinejad said in a speech Saturday, according to Iran’s Press TV. “It has been aiding and abetting extremist groups over the past years.”
