In a remark that sparked outrage in the US, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that some segments within the US government orchestrated the 9/11 attack to reverse the declining American economy.
The Iranian President told a UN meeting that most people believe the US government staged the 9/11 attacks. There was a theory that "some segments within the US government orchestrated the attack to reverse the declining American economy and its grips on West Asia, in order also to save the Zionist regime," Mr Ahmadinejad said, sparking a US delegation led Western walkout in the UN General Assembly.
"The majority of the American people as well as other nations and politicians agree with this view," he added. Mr Ahmadinejad then urged the UN to carry out an investigation that would determine what happened on 9/11.
"It is proposed that the United Nations set up an independent fact-finding group for the event of September 11 so that in the future expressing views about it is not forbidden," he said on Thursday.
He also accused the US for using 9/11 to start wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as bullying Iran about its nuclear programme while maintaining it own nuclear weapons.
The Iranian President, however, indicated that Tehran would be ready for talks on its nuclear programme if they were premised on "justice and respect."
He also touched on the recent controversy involving a Florida pastor who wanted to burn the Quran on the ninth anniversary of 9/11 but eventually didn't carry out the plan.
"Very recently the world witnessed the ugly and inhumane act of burning the holy Quran," Mr Ahmadinejad said.
Holding the Quran and Bible in his hands, he said, "On behalf of the Iranian nation I pay respect to all Divine books and their followers." "This is the Quran and this is the Bible. I pay respect to both of them," he said.
In a statement, US Mission spokesman Mark Kornblau said, "Rather than representing the aspirations and goodwill of the Iranian people Mr Ahmadinejad has yet again chosen to spout vile conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic slurs that are as abhorrent and delusional as they are predictable."