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| Iran’s President Says West’s ‘Blunders’ Aided Rise of Islamic State | Iran’s President Says West’s ‘Blunders’ Aided Rise of Islamic State |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| UNITED NATIONS — President Hassan Rouhani of Iran delivered a searing indictment of Western and Arab states on Thursday in his annual speech to the United Nations, blaming them for sowing the seeds of extremism in the Middle East with “strategic blunders” that have given rise to the Islamic State and other violent jihadist groups. | UNITED NATIONS — President Hassan Rouhani of Iran delivered a searing indictment of Western and Arab states on Thursday in his annual speech to the United Nations, blaming them for sowing the seeds of extremism in the Middle East with “strategic blunders” that have given rise to the Islamic State and other violent jihadist groups. |
| “Certain intelligence agencies have put blades in the hands of madmen, who now spare no one,” Mr. Rouhani said, adding that “all those who have played a role in founding and supporting these terror groups must acknowledge their errors” and apologize. | “Certain intelligence agencies have put blades in the hands of madmen, who now spare no one,” Mr. Rouhani said, adding that “all those who have played a role in founding and supporting these terror groups must acknowledge their errors” and apologize. |
| He also used the occasion to denounce the Western-led sanctions imposed on Iran’s nuclear program and reiterated his government’s desire to resolve Iran’s protracted dispute with the United States and other nations over the program. | He also used the occasion to denounce the Western-led sanctions imposed on Iran’s nuclear program and reiterated his government’s desire to resolve Iran’s protracted dispute with the United States and other nations over the program. |
| He implied that the nuclear negotiations were linked to Iran’s cooperation in combating the Islamic State and its affiliates, saying that no security cooperation was possible until the sanctions were lifted. | He implied that the nuclear negotiations were linked to Iran’s cooperation in combating the Islamic State and its affiliates, saying that no security cooperation was possible until the sanctions were lifted. |
| “The people of Iran, who have been subjected to pressures especially in the last three years as a result of continued sanctions, cannot place trust in any security cooperation between their government with those who have imposed sanctions and created obstacles in the way of satisfying even their primary needs, such as food and medicine,” he said. | “The people of Iran, who have been subjected to pressures especially in the last three years as a result of continued sanctions, cannot place trust in any security cooperation between their government with those who have imposed sanctions and created obstacles in the way of satisfying even their primary needs, such as food and medicine,” he said. |
| Mr. Rouhani’s speech to the United Nations General Assembly, his second as Iran’s president, began by striking some of the same notes that his counterparts from the United States and Europe struck on Wednesday regarding the rise of the Islamic State, the militant group that now controls parts of Syria and Iraq. President Obama, in his speech on Wednesday, called on all nations to unite in a concerted effort to destroy the group, which is also known as ISIS or ISIL. | Mr. Rouhani’s speech to the United Nations General Assembly, his second as Iran’s president, began by striking some of the same notes that his counterparts from the United States and Europe struck on Wednesday regarding the rise of the Islamic State, the militant group that now controls parts of Syria and Iraq. President Obama, in his speech on Wednesday, called on all nations to unite in a concerted effort to destroy the group, which is also known as ISIS or ISIL. |
| Mr. Rouhani denied that Iran sought to control other nations in the region, calling that belief “delusional Iranophobia,” and reminded the world that Iran was among the first countries to assist Iraq in June, when Islamic State fighters invaded from neighboring Syria. | Mr. Rouhani denied that Iran sought to control other nations in the region, calling that belief “delusional Iranophobia,” and reminded the world that Iran was among the first countries to assist Iraq in June, when Islamic State fighters invaded from neighboring Syria. |
| He said the extremist group and its affiliates, which have drawn recruits from around the world, do not represent the true teachings of Islam. | He said the extremist group and its affiliates, which have drawn recruits from around the world, do not represent the true teachings of Islam. |
| “I am struck that these murderous groups call themselves Islamic,” he said. | “I am struck that these murderous groups call themselves Islamic,” he said. |
| Mr. Obama’s departure from the United Nations on Thursday eliminated any possibility, which had already been considered remote, that he would greet Mr. Rouhani personally while both leaders were here. | Mr. Obama’s departure from the United Nations on Thursday eliminated any possibility, which had already been considered remote, that he would greet Mr. Rouhani personally while both leaders were here. |
| But before Mr. Obama left, he did hold his first meeting with the new leader of Egypt, a relationship that has been marked by friction. | But before Mr. Obama left, he did hold his first meeting with the new leader of Egypt, a relationship that has been marked by friction. |
| Mr. Obama’s talks with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a former general who deposed Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, in July 2013, were not without tensions, a senior White House official suggested. | Mr. Obama’s talks with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a former general who deposed Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, in July 2013, were not without tensions, a senior White House official suggested. |
| “The president discussed our ongoing concern with Egypt’s political trajectory,” Benjamin J. Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser, told reporters on Air Force One, as Mr. Obama returned to Washington. “They had a frank discussion on those issues.” | “The president discussed our ongoing concern with Egypt’s political trajectory,” Benjamin J. Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser, told reporters on Air Force One, as Mr. Obama returned to Washington. “They had a frank discussion on those issues.” |
| Mr. Rhodes said the president also raised the case of Al Jazeera journalists who were recently imprisoned, telling Mr. Sisi, “Those journalists should be released.” | Mr. Rhodes said the president also raised the case of Al Jazeera journalists who were recently imprisoned, telling Mr. Sisi, “Those journalists should be released.” |
| The two leaders, however, also discussed deepening cooperation on military intelligence and counterterrorism, he said. | The two leaders, however, also discussed deepening cooperation on military intelligence and counterterrorism, he said. |
| Mr. Rouhani’s visit has prompted several street protests around the United Nations over the last two days, mostly over his government’s human rights record. | Mr. Rouhani’s visit has prompted several street protests around the United Nations over the last two days, mostly over his government’s human rights record. |
| Shortly after Mr. Rouhani’s speech, Iman Ghavani, a British national, went to the Iranian mission to the United Nations with petitions pressing Iranian authorities to release his sister, Ghoncheh, who has been detained for 88 days, reportedly for going to watch a men’s volleyball match. He brought boxes of signature pages with him. Security guards on the ground floor of the building did not let him proceed to the mission, said Shareeza Bhola, a spokeswoman for the online petition platform, change.org. |