Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, has accused the US of being the world's "real threat" as he defended his country's nuclear programme at a meeting of the UN.

In what was seen as a reference to the US and its allies, he told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday: "Human rights are being extensively violated by certain powers, especially by those who pretend to be their exclusive advocates.

 

France and Germany increased pressure on the Islamic republic, saying they would not accept a nuclear-armed Iran.

 

Merkel told the session: "Let's not fool ourselves. If Iran were to acquire the nuclear bomb, the consequences would be disastrous."

 

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, said: "Iran is entitled to nuclear power for civilian purposes, but to allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapon is an unacceptable risk to the stability of the region and the stability of the world."

 

Bush told delegates: "In Belarus, North Korea, Syria, and Iran, brutal regimes deny their people the fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration."

 

 

Bush barely spoke about Iraq, where the US is seeking the assistance of the UN.

 

He got a smile from the Sudanese ambassador to the UN when he described the crisis in Darfur as genocide, and touted his country's $2bn contribution towards humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts there.

Bush mentioned the efforts of Sarkozy to stop the Darfur conflict from spreading.

With Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's  president, not attending this year's General Assembly, Daniel Ortega, the Nicaraguan president, took on the role of challenging the Western powers for Latin America.

He said: "With what authority do they condemn the people of Iran who are working for the development of peaceful nuclear energy?

 

"But they have decided it is not for peaceful purposes. But who gave them the right?"