Page "Columbia University" Paragraph 15

During his speech, Ahmadinejad criticized Israel's policies towards the Palestinians ; called for research on the historical accuracy of the Holocaust ; raised questions as to who initiated the 9 / 11 attacks ; defended Iran's nuclear power program, criticizing the UN's policy of sanctions on his country ; and attacked U. S. foreign policy in the Middle East.

In response to a question about Iran's treatment of women and homosexuals, he asserted that women are respected in Iran and that " In Iran, we don't have homosexuals like in your country ...

In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon.

I don't know who told you this.

" The latter statement drew laughter from the audience.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office accused Columbia of accepting grant money from the Alavi Foundation to support faculty " sympathetic " to Iran's Islamic republic.