Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has kicked off his third visit to the United States with two public appearances that have whipped up a storm of controversy and sparked angry protests.
The firebrand Iranian leader, who has called for the destruction of Israel and questioned the Holocaust, is to address the National Press Club in Washington by video conference and will later speak at Columbia University.
He is then due to address the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday (local time).
The Iranian leader said before leaving Tehran that the visit would allow him to meet independent politicians from Tehran's arch foe and give Iran a platform to address the international community.
"The General Assembly of the United Nations is a good opportunity to present the solutions of the Iranian people to solve the problems of the world," he was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency.
"We need to take advantage of such opportunities to present the positions of the Iranian people as they (the Americans) are very keen to hear them."
The visit has sparked bitter controversy in the United States, which has accused Iran of trying to acquire nuclear weapons and considers the Iranian leader an ally of insurgents attacking US troops deployed in Iraq.
Speaking in an interview with America's CBS television conducted in Tehran last week, Mr Ahmadinejad downplayed Iran's nuclear ambitions and said there was no reason to think that the US and Iran were on a path to war.
"You have to appreciate we don't need a nuclear bomb. We don't need that. What need do we have for a bomb?" the Iranian leader said.
His trip comes at a low point in relations between Iran and the United States, which have not had formal diplomatic ties since 1979.
New York protests
Even before he arrived, city politicians and Jewish groups mounted protests against the visit, urging Columbia University to withdraw its invitation to the Iranian leader.
About 100 protesters gathered outside the university's main gate on Sunday bearing placards with slogans such as "Don't give a platform to hate," and denouncing Mr Ahmadinejad as a "Hitler wannabe" and a Holocaust denier.
Protesters were due to mount further rallies at Columbia on Monday and Iranian opposition exiles may demonstrate at the United Nations on Tuesday while Mr Ahmadinejad addresses the world body.
What angered many New Yorkers was Mr Ahmadinejad's plan to lay a wreath at Ground Zero - the site of the September 11 attacks of 2001.
City officials denied permission for the visit last week on security grounds. © 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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#1 Ahmadinejad speaking at Columbia University
I am wondering if a Columbia University student may read this story today. If yes, and if you are going to be at the meetin with president Ahmadinejad today, would you submit a story to HULIQ.com so we, the readers, can have first hand account of how the meeting goes and what kind of questions are asked. An image with the story would be cool.