The story

The nuclear issue in Iran is "now closed," Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in an address Tuesday loaded with broadsides against "selfish and incompetent" powers that have "obedience to Satan."

An agreement reached last month between his country and the International Atomic Energy Agency over its disputed nuclear program has, in the Iranian view, settled the matter, he said. The IAEA is the world's central nuclear technology governing body.

"Iran decided to pursue the issue through its appropriate, legal path, one that runs through the IAEA, and to disregard unlawful and political impositions by the arrogant powers," Ahmadinejad said in a speech to the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

"I officially announce that in our opinion, the nuclear issue of Iran is now closed and has turned into an ordinary agency matter."

Under the deal brokered in August, the Iranian government agreed to a timetable for resolving outstanding issues with the IAEA over its nuclear program, which the Iranians have said is solely for peaceful power generation. The deal received a tepid reception from the United States and other Western countries that fear Tehran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. Read full article »

CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Zain Verjee and Suzanne Malveaux contributed to this report.

All About International Atomic Energy Agency • Mahmoud Ahmadinejad • Iran