U.S. Diplomats to Boycott Ahmadinejad UN Speech

Will miss out on the Iranian President's usual theatrics

The US has criticised "repulsive slurs" against Israel made by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's president, and said it would boycott his speech at the UN general assembly.

Ahmadinejad, whose country faces growing pressure over its nuclear programme, is one of the most high-profile speakers at the UN summit on Wednesday.

He has made a series of comments attacking Israel and the West while in New York.

Issues in the Middle East have dominated the proceedings in the US city thus far.