Iranian protesters take to the streets to dispute the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in December 2009.
Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, will address world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly later today.
When he spoke at last year’s meeting, he launched into an attack against the United States, Israel and the West while, back in Iran, the pro-government Revolutionary Guard cracked down on pro-reform demonstrators. During elections, the Green Movement gained momentum, and for a time it seemed like supporters with the use of Twitter could topple Ahmadinejad.
But this year, Ahmadinejad may dial down the rhetoric a notch as Iran comes under increasing pressure from world powers to end their nuclear program. The United Nations Security Council imposed a new round of sanctions in June and the Council members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – have renewed efforts to bring Iran back to the negotiating table.
In what may have been a preview to his General Assembly speech, Ahmadinejad blamed capitalism and transnational corporations for the world’s woes when he addressed the meeting on the Millennium Development Goals, the U.N.’s initiative to reduce poverty, hunger and disease around the world. But absent from the speech were attacks aimed at the U.S. and Israel.
Anti-Ahmadinejad protestors in New York were not surprised. While the Iranian president portrays an image of a self-confident leader firmly in control of his country, several prominent pro-reform Iranians in the United States claim that Ahmadinejad’s support in Iran is waning.
They tell CNN that there are a growing number of conservatives in Iran who feel that Ahmadinejad’s provocative, controversial statements have directly resulted in world opinion turning against the country. CNN Radio’s Steve Kastenbaum spoke with Iranian dissidents in the U.S. about the state of the Green Movement in Iran today.
Listen to Steve Kastenbaum’s conversation with an Iranian journalist and CNN’s Reza Sayah here:
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All governments are corrupt period. Is there one government who truly has the best interest of all the people at heart? Don't think so. Look at ours with the lobbyists and special interest buying politicians left and right to serve their own ends. I voted for the man in the white house and I feel betrayed he said he would change how things are done in washington and I haven't seen it. Still the same old Crap that's been going on since F.D.R. Now that was a president! A leader! He stood up for this great country and didn't care who got offended.
Why anyone still gives this pimple on the ass of humanity a public forum is a mystery to me. BTW, Obama is only a capitolist when it serves his wallet. After that he is a bleeding heart liberal. Champion against any cause that attempts to make private business an American way of life. Think I'm lying, check your employeers matching contributions to you insurance. You will have to start paying taxes on that beginning Jan 1. You will see govt run health care is just another tax on the middle class.
A wise man once told me, if you get enough idiots to believe your theory, you just might ne right.
Be to. That's for all the spelling police. Ha
Just put the idiot in a straight jacket, lock him a padded cell and forget about him.
There would be no violence if not for Hamas or Hezbollah. Where's your rant on their targeting civilians?
You forgot to mention that both sides are terrorist, idiot.
@Brad – oh, yes, mustn't leave out the Arab League narrative.
And.....there it is. Won't be a true CNN comment section about a story with Middle East ties if a rabid, anti-Semitic moron doesn't drop his grossly one-side and misinformed 2 cents into the mix.