Around a dozen nations, including the Netherlands, walked out of the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday during a speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Without mentioning Jews by name, the Iranian leader said: "It is no longer acceptable that a small minority dominates the politics, economy and culture of major parts of the world through its complicated networks." The European Union and other countries had agreed to a walkout should the Iranian leader make anti-Semitic comments or deny the Holocaust.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said after a meeting with United States President Barack Obama that sanctions against Iran could be inevitable if it did not meet UN conditions concerning its nuclear programme. Russia had previously opposed the imposition of sanctions against Iran.

In his first speech to the UN General Assembly, President Obama emphasised the nuclear activities of Iran and North Korea. He also promised that the US would do its share to help solve global problems, but said the US cannot "solve the world's problems alone". The UN General Assembly will meet for a week. Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende will address the assembly on Saturday.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Photo by ANP