Iran: US is world's real threat

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, has accused the US of being the world's "real threat" and defended his country's nuclear programme. In a 40-minute speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Ahmadinejad accused Washington and its allies of carrying out human rights abuses.

He said: "Human rights are being extensively violated by certain powers, especially by those who pretend to be their exclusive advocates.

"Setting up secret prisons, abducting persons, trials and secret punishments without any regard to due process ... have become commonplace."