Iran seeks U.N. OK to make nuclear case

Iran's U.N. Mission sent a letter to the Security Council president Thursday officially requesting permission for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak during its discussion on imposing new sanctions on Tehran for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment, a council diplomat said.

Iranian state television had quoted government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham Sunday as saying Ahmadinejad wanted to take his case for pursuing nuclear power before the council as it considers a resolution that would impose the sanctions.

The letter informed South Africa's U.N. Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo, the current council president, that Ahmadinejad would head the Iranian delegation, the council diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the letter has not yet been made public.

Richard Grenell, spokesman for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations would only confirm that the U.S. has received official visas requests for an Iranian delegation.

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