Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reacts during the General Debate on the theme "The impact of the global food crisis on poverty and hunger in the world and the need to democratize the United Nations" during the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States, September 23, 2008.[Xinhua/Reuters Photo]

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in his speech to the UN General Assembly's general debate on Tuesday, asserted that his country's nuclear program is peaceful and slammed "a few bullying powers" for putting hurdles in the way of Iran's nuclear activities.

"Despite the inalienable right of all nations, including the Iranian nation, in producing nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes, and despite such facts as the transparency of all Iranian activities and our country's full cooperation with the inspectors of the IAEA ... a few bullying powers have sought to put hurdles in the way of the peaceful nuclear activities of the Iranian nation by exerting political and economic pressure against Iran," Ahmadinejad said.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad meets UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (R) during the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York September 22, 2008. [Xinhua/Reuters Photo]

"These are the same powers that produce new generations of lethal nuclear arms and possess stockpiles of nuclear weapons that no international organization is monitoring," Ahmadinejad said.

The Iranian leader said his country "will resist the bullying and has defended and will continue to defend its rights."

By saying so, the Iranian leader is apparently referring to the United States, who has repeatedly accused Iran of secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons. However, Iran has insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

(Xinhua News Agency September 24, 2008)