News

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on Friday condemned "in no uncertain terms" remarks made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad alleging a US government role in the Sep 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Ahmadinejad said in a speech Thursday to the UN General Assembly that some "segments" of the US government "orchestrated" 9/11 to "reverse the declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East in order also to save the Zionist regime".

Delegates from the US and several European countries walked past him and out of the room.

"I strongly condemn the comments made yesterday by a leader of a delegation that called into question the cause of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on US soil," Ban said.

Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks, including more than 2,700 in New York when two hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center's Twin Towers.

US President Barack Obama described Ahmadinejad's comments as "hurtful" and "offensive".