Ahmadinejad condemns UN for inaction on Palestinian issue

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday criticized the United Nations Security Council for its efforts to impose sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program, and accused the UN of not doing enough to support the Palestinians.

Referring to Israel, Ahmadinejad said, "While this fake regime commits crimes, the UN has not taken a single positive and operative step to restore the rights of the Palestinian nation," he said.

"It is most embarrassing that the UN Security Council, which should be the defender of nations' security and rights, threatens countries pursuing nuclear fuel under the law to provide fuel for peaceful purposes," he added, addressing the seventh conference of the general assembly of Asian Parliaments Association for Peace in Tehran.

The Iranian president also criticized the UN for applying a double standard against Iran, saying "while those countries, armed with nuclear weapons, deny the rights of other countries to produce nuclear fuel and exploit it for peaceful purposes."

The comments followed a meeting Saturday in Moscow between Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia is urging the resumption of international talks on Iran's nuclear program. Although Moscow and China have agreed in principle on sanctions, both have publicly pushed for dialogue instead of punitive measures.

Both countries have major commercial ties with Iran, and can veto Security Council resolutions as permanent members.

	Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressing a conference of the general assembly of Asian Parliaments Association for Peace in Tehran on Sunday. (AP)