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UNITED NATIONS — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was to deliver a closely-watched speech Wednesday at the UN General Assembly where US President Barack Obama put Iran on the spot over its nuclear aims.
The speeches from the Iranian, US and other leaders come before the chief diplomats of the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France as well as Germany meet here later to prepare for key talks with Iran in Geneva next week.
Though known for his fiery and provocative rhetoric, the Iranian leader was due to send a message of peace to the world leaders gathered in the assembly -- many of whom fear Iran's nuclear program has military aims despite its denials.
Taking a more conciliatory tone than his predecessor George W. Bush, US President Barack Obama has asked Iran to accept an outstretched hand of friendship and engage with the United States on nuclear and other issues.
However, Obama called on leaders here to hold Iran -- as well as North Korea -- to account for their nuclear programs, warning they threatened to take the world down a "dangerous slope."
Speaking before more than 120 world leaders, Obama renewed his pledge to work toward a world without nuclear weapons and said all nations would be less secure if some avoided international inspections.
"In their actions to date, the governments of North Korea and Iran threaten to take us down this dangerous slope," Obama said at the United Nations.
And French President Nicolas Sarkozy was due to mention France's concerns about Iran's nuclear program in his own speech at the podium later Wednesday, according to sources at the United Nations who asked not to be named.
French officials said delegations from the 27 member countries of the European Union could leave the General Assembly if Ahmadinejad utters provocative remarks during his speech.
Protests also are being planned outside the UN headquarters by Iranians and others enraged by the government-led crackdown against the political opposition following Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election in June.
The six powers meanwhile will try to coordinate their points of view in preparation for the resumption of a dialogue with Iran on October 1 in the Swiss lakeside city of Geneva.
They hope to reconcile the aims of the United States and Europe -- which seek new sanctions if Iran continues to enrich uranium -- and a more cautious attitude from Russia and China.
However, France's foreign minister Bernard Kouchner said in an interview Wednesday he was not in favor of plans floated by some US lawmakers that would impose fuel sanctions on Iran to make it come clean on its nuclear program.
Kouchner, speaking in New York where he is attending the General Assembly, told the International Herald Tribune that a fuel blockade would harm the Iranian people, "and mainly poor people."
Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy chief, said he hoped for a "consensual statement" on Iran without denying it could lack substance.
The United States is still counting on the United Nations to get their partners to toe the new tough line.
Obama therefore asked his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao to show solidarity on Iran.
The Financial Times reported meanwhile that China is potentially undermining US-led efforts aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions by supplying the Middle Eastern state with petrol.
Citing unnamed traders and bankers, the Financial Times said state-owned Chinese oil companies were selling the petrol through intermediaries and now accounted for a third of Tehran's gasoline imports.
It added that the sales are legal because the current sanctions do not cover fuel imports.
Analysts said although Iran is a major crude producer and exporter, it imports refined products such as gasoline because it lacks the refining capacity. Link...