Iranian NY visit sparks protests

Last Modified: 24 Sep 2007
By: Jonathan Rugman

Protesters gather in New York as Iran's President Ahmadinejad arrives to address the UN general assembly.

"Go to hell!" screamed one New York tabloid as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in New York for the UN general assembly.

Crowds of protesters gathered outside the city's prestigious Columbia university, where he's due to speak today, as he declared that Iran did not recognise Israel because it was based on occupation and racism.

Earlier the US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, said it would have been a travesty for him to visit the site of the 11 September attacks.