Ahmadinejad says new world order needed to get away from US dominance in interview

NEW YORK –  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that a new world order needs to emerge, away from years of what he called American bullying and domination.

Ahmadinejad spoke to The Associated Press in a wide-ranging interview on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly -- his last as president of Iran. He was to address the Assembly Wednesday morning.

He also discussed solutions for the Syrian civil war, dismissed the question of Iran's nuclear ambition and claimed that despite Western sanctions his country is better off than it was when he took office in 2005.

"God willing, a new order will come together and we'll do away with everything that distances us," Ahmadinejad said, speaking through a translator. "I do believe the system of empires has reached the end of the road. The world can no longer see an emperor commanding it."

"Now even elementary school kids throughout the world have understood that the United States government is following an international policy of bullying," he said.

President Barack Obama warned Iran earlier Tuesday that time is running out to resolve the dispute over its nuclear program. In a speech to the General Assembly, Obama said the United States could not tolerate an Iran with atomic weapons.

Ahmadinejad would not respond directly to the president's remarks, saying he did not want to influence the U.S. presidential election in November.

But he argued that the international outcry over Iran's nuclear enrichment program was just an excuse by the West to dominate his country. He claimed that the United States has never accepted Iran's choice of government after the 1979 Islamic revolution.

"Everyone is aware the nuclear issue is the imposition of the will of the United States," he said. "I see the nuclear issue as a non-issue. It has become a form of one-upmanship."

Ahmadinejad said he favored more dialogue, even though negotiations with world powers remain stalled after three rounds of high-level meetings since April.

He said some world leaders have suggested to him that Iran would be better off holding nuclear talks only with the United States.

"Of course I am not dismissing such talks," he said, asked if he were open to discussions with the winner of the American presidential election.

Israeli leaders, however, are still openly contemplating military action again Iranian nuclear facilities, dismissing diplomacy as a dead end. Israel and many in the West suspect that Iran is seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, and cite its failure to cooperate fully with nuclear inspectors. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

Ahmadinejad also proposed forming a new group of 10 or 11 countries to work to end the 18-month Syrian civil war. Representatives of the nations in the Middle East and elsewhere would meet in New York "very soon," he said.

Critics have accused Tehran of giving support to Syrian President Bashar Assad in carrying out massacres and other human rights violations in an attempt to crush the uprising against his rule. Activists say nearly 30,000 people have died.

He said the so-called contact group hopes to get the Syrian government and opposition to sit across from each other.

"I will do everything in my power to create stability, peace and understanding in Syria," Ahmadinejad said.

Earlier this month, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi announced the formation of a four-member contact group with Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. But Saudi Arabia so far has not participated.

He denied Iranian involvement in plotting attacks on Israelis abroad, despite arrests and accusations by police in various countries. He also vehemently disputed the U.S. claim that Iranian agents played a role in a foiled plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States last year.

Ahmadinejad will leave office next June after serving two four-year terms. He threw out numbers and statistics during the interview to show that Iran's economy and the lives of average Iranians have improved under his watch. Since his 2005 election, he claimed, Iran went from being the world's 22nd-largest economy to the 17th-largest; non-petroleum related exports increased sevenfold; and the basic production of goods has doubled. Median income increased by $4,000, he said.

"Today's conditions in Iran are completely different to where they were seven years ago in the economy, in technical achievement, in scientific know-how," Ahmadinejad said. "All of these achievements, though, have been reached under conditions in which we were brought under heavy sanctions."

Iran has called for the U.S. and its European allies to ease the sanctions that have hit its critical oil exports and left it blackballed from key international banking networks.

Ahmadinejad said he had no knowledge of the whereabouts of Robert Levinson, a private investigator and former FBI agent who vanished in Iran five years ago. He said he directed Iranian intelligence services two years ago to work with their counterparts in the U.S. to locate him.

"And if any help there is that I can bring to bear, I would be happy to do so," he said.

He also claimed never to have heard of Amir Hekmati, a former U.S. Marine who is imprisoned on espionage charges in Iran. Hekmati was arrested while visiting his grandmother in Iran in August 2011, and his family has been using Ahmadinejad's visit to New York to plead for his release.

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Wii U Announcements Discussed

Yesterday marked the long-awaited reveal of the Nintendo Wii U worldwide launch details and pricing news. While many of us here at IGN rushed out to pre-order the unique new console, others remained skeptical. I asked some of my friends around here to see what the consensus was, and -- as it turns out -- Nintendo's first foray into high definition graphics is a lot more polarizing at IGN than I thought it would be.

Mitch Dyer, Associate Editor says - Nintendo’s done little to win me over in the last six months. Everything about Wii U so far has been predictable. It’s hard for me to get excited about another Mario game, charming and entertaining as they always are, because they do very little to shake up the gameplay. Third-party stuff like ZombiU is interesting, but hardly alluring when Xbox 360, PS3, and PC have considerably more games I’m interested in.

This week's big press conference did two things: First, it convinced me the Wii U finally has substance; second, that I absolutely won’t be buying one. Oh, and theTekken characters look awesome in Mario costumes.

Colin Campbell, Features Editor says - It’s a fair price for a good product, and it’s got strong first-party support and okay third-party backing. I’m a family-man and I’ve completely bought into this idea of Wii U as a front-room box-of-fun, in much the same way as Wii was. I’ll be playing this with my kids, and so it’ll be a different model of fun than playing hardcore RPGs and shooters on Xbox 360 and PS3. I doubt I'll bother much with those Wii U games aimed at the hardcore gamer. Family fun is what Nintendo does best, and I’m impressed with the thought that has gone into serving the impulse to play with other people. If I was a single man, I’m not sure I’d be quite so convinced as of yet. Everything hinges on the controller and I’m still not sure that it offers enough to make this console worth buying, when new, more powerful consoles from Microsoft and Sony are likely around the corner. But Nintendo has a free holiday season with this new console, and my gut-feeling is that it will do very well.

Greg Miller, Executive Editor of IGN PlayStation says - Zombie U is a really cool survival game, The Wonderful 101 looks like this DC Comics fanboy's cup of tea, and Wii TVii's live sports integration seems interesting. All of that is cool, but not $300 cool. I'm letdown with this price point. Nintendo has been so guarded about Wii U information, but what has leaked out hasn't been the best buzz builder -- the machine is only slightly more powerful than the PS3 and 360, so when Sony and Microsoft's new consoles come out next year, this will already be an out of date system.

“

Wii U is cool, but not $300 cool.

When the Wii was announced, I was floored, hooked, and ready to pick my console up at its midnight launch. But as the years have gone by and I've seen my Wii age into a PS3 controller charger, I've lost my Nintendo faith. It's a great company with amazing exclusives, but it's not one that speaks to me. The Wii U is going to sell and Nintendo fans are going to love it, but I'll wait for the inevitable price drop and Mario Kart, Mario Golf, or Zelda.

Keza MacDonald, UK Games Editor - I wasn't totally sold on the Wii U when it was first announced,

“

HOLY S--T, BAYONETTA 2.

but since E3 this year I've been warming up to it. When you get your hands on the console and play around with the GamePad it just instantly makes sense. I was worried that Nintendo would overprice it, but $300/£250 seems very reasonable to me - it's cheap enough for me to want to buy one right now rather than save all my pennies for the next PlayStation/Xbox next year, which will almost definitely be way more expensive. The launch line-up could be better, but hey, it's launching with Mario. That hasn't happened in 16 years. Also: HOLY S--T, BAYONETTA 2! THAT was unexpected.

Nic Vargus, IGN Tech Editor says - Nintendo didn't dig into the nitty-gritty specs that I really wanted to geek out on, but maybe they didn't have to. The Wii U looks pretty powerful, at least until it has some next-gen competition. I'd like to pretend that the only thing that matters is Nintendo's first-party exclusives, but I still haven't dusted off my Wii to play Donkey Kong Country Returns, and I used to have dreams that I transformed into Diddy Kong. I'll probably still buy a Wii U, but that's just because I'm irresponsible with money.

Brian Altano, Executive Editor of News & Features says - I snuck out of work in the middle of helping coordinate our Nintendo Wii U news coverage to go pre-order a Nintendo Wii U -- along with Rayman: Legends, New Super Mario Bros., and Zombi U. So yeah, that was my reaction. Oh, and please don't tell my boss I ditched work, or that I might be ditching a lot more come November 18th. Hopefully he doesn't read this.

Charles Onyett, Executive Editor of IGN PC says - I think the price is fine. Apple charges $200 to $300 for a new phone with a payment plan pretty much on a yearly basis. Nintendo charging a little more for a full gaming console every six or so years is perfectly reasonable. While new consoles are always exciting, and I’ll probably wind up buying a Wii U somewhere in the launch window anyway strictly out of pure curiosity, I think its game lineup has issues. There are only a few real standout launch window games like ZombiU, New Super Mario Bros. U, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, and Pikmin 3. Many of its launch titles have already been released or will be released on platforms millions of people already own.

The Wii U also doesn’t have the same kind of novelty the Wii did when it launched. Nintendo delivered a much more intriguing input device with the Wiimote. By comparison, it feels like the Wii U’s innovations are minor, and many of its dual-screen control mechanics are gimmicky. My opinion could very well change after I pick up a Wii U and get to play all the games over the course of a few months, but for now, beyond the simple fact that the Wii U’s launch -- at long last -- kicks off the next generation of consoles, there aren’t many reasons to get unreasonably excited.

Colin Moriarty, Editor, IGN PlayStation says - I have to be reminded every once in a while that one should never underestimate Nintendo. No matter how down-and-out they seem, no matter how completely irrelevant their hardware appears to be compared to Sony’s and Microsoft’s, and no matter how bitter and jaded the hardcore community seems towards them, they always pull a rabbit out of their hat. I have little doubt that the minds at Nintendo will perform a similar feat with the Wii U.

“

Nintendo simply isn’t the same company to me, and many others, anymore.

With that said, temper your expectations. Many of Wii U’s most appealing games will have already been out on other consoles by the time it launches. Its touch pad -- like the Wii’s controller -- is yet another gimmick, something Nintendo doesn’t even need with its strong library of legacy exclusives that will no doubt find their way in one form or another to the Wii U. And the casual gamer that made the Wii a rousing commercial success will not be back. Nintendo now has to cater again to the hardcore audience, and they lost some of that audience -- including me -- by refusing to give me much, making me long for the glory days of my youth, ranging from the NES and SNES to the N64 and the GameCube. Nintendo simply isn’t the same company to me, and many others, anymore.

Wii U is also too expensive. For a console that -- at best -- is marginally more powerful than this generation’s consoles, a $300 minimum price strikes me as strange. Then again, while the next Xbox and PlayStation will undoubtedly leave Wii U in the dust in terms of technology, it doesn’t really matter if the games are on Wii U. There are already some interesting titles announced and on the horizon, but I need to see more. Just like my wait-and-see approach with the 3DS (I finally acquired one this summer), I will be watching Wii U eagerly, waiting for a price drop and some compelling games for me -- the hardcore gamer -- before I drop my hard-earned dough.

Destin Legarie, Editor says - When I saw the Japanese announcement late last night about the Wii U pricing, I was skeptical.  I worried that it would be too high for the American market, and I was frustrated after hearing how much I would have to pay for a second controller.  When the Japan announcement came through it seemed that the console would set me back about $450 Day 1, which did not fly for my delicate American wallet.  Luckily that all changed this morning.

When I got to work that sour opinion vanished.  Not only did they hit that magical number of $299.99 for the American market (making us feel like we get a deal being one cent under $300) but they also revealed their exclusives. Rather huge exclusives, actually.  Bayonetta 2 being on the Wii U is a huge win for Nintendo and it came along with a list of great titles that will be out on launch day, or at least within the launch window.  The Ultimate Edition of Monster Hunter 3, New Super Mario U, and The Wonderful 101 are all games that have me ready to plop down my pre-order cash.

I do have one question for you though, Nintendo: why wasn’t THIS your E3 press conference?

Ryan McCaffrey, Executive Editor, IGN 360 says - Scoring Bayonetta 2 as a Wii U exclusive is a nice gesture to hardcore gamers on Nintendo’s part, and New Super Mario Bros. U looks excellent. But personally, nothing about the launch window -- be it price or software lineup -- is compelling me to buy Nintendo’s new console in 2012. I’m sure I’ll buy one eventually for the first-party games alone -- hell, I always do with Nintendo’s systems -- but I’m keeping my wallet closed for now. On a side note, Nintendo almost always does things in their own unique way, but it’s interesting that they’ve taken a page from Microsoft and the Xbox 360 launch by offering a “Premium” and a “Core” SKU. I do appreciate that they’ve given me a way to not have to buy Nintendoland whenever I do end up getting a Wii U.

Fran Mirabella III, Senior Director of Video: I’ve observed every Nintendo console launch since GameCube as part of this industry, and Wii U has, by far, felt like the one Nintendo was least prepared for. Until now. The E3 2012 showing was, let’s face it, completely off the rails. It goes down in the books as one of Nintendo’s worst press conferences. One of the major problems was that major playable software was scarcely highlighted, and the stuff you might be most interested in, you barely got to see (Super Mario Bros. Wii U, Rayman Legends, Pikmin 3, etc.). Today, it finally got a $299 price point, a release date, and a substantial amount of software. And, more importantly, I'm finally seeing more gameplay along with their GamePad integrations.

So am I actually excited? Yes. I’ve pre-ordered my deluxe bundle and am ready to get in line. What can I say, I’m a console launch junkie and there’s easily enough to keep me satisfied here. I’m excited to play Rayman Legends, Pikmin 3, and possibly some third-party games I’ve never had the chance to get to yet. But what is still missing is something that is often lacking from major console launches -- a Halo, an Uncharted... a Zelda. This isn’t surprising, but it is the nagging part of the Wii U launch currently. From Smash Bros. to a full-fledged 3D Mario, I just don’t know when that stuff is coming, and there’s no truly exclusive mega-franchise hitters here for core gamers. Most importantly, though, I haven’t seen many single-player GamePad integrations that really excite me. I love the idea of the GamePad for the whole family and things like TV browsing, but how is it going to change the next Metroid? That’s something we all still have to hold our breath a while longer for.

So what do you think? Agree with my co-workers? Despise them vehemently? It's OK, I feel the same way sometimes, and I have to spend all day with them. Sound off below and let me know what you think.

Brian Altano is IGN's Executive Editor of News & Features. Follow him on Twitter.

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Report: EA Sought to Acquire Valve

Electronic Arts was apparently prepared to pay up to $1 billion in order to acquire Valve, according to a new report.

The New York Times claims to have seen a report which lists the various opportunities Gabe Newell has had to sell the company in the past.

"Valve has been pursued over the years by Electronic Arts, which would very likely have valued Valve at well over $1 billion had the talks progressed that far," it explains.

The article goes on to say the claims come courtesy of "two people with knowledge of the discussion who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were private".

Why said talks broke down isn't clear, especially given that EA's COO Peter Moore recently voiced his support for the company, describing them as being "on the cutting edge of the future of this industry". It may have something to do with Valve co-founder Gabe Newell, who has apparently long been convinced that the company would "disintegrate" if it was ever bought by another company.

"It’s way more likely we would head in that direction than say, ‘Let’s find some giant company that wants to cash us out and wait two or three years to have our employment agreements terminate,’ he said.

Had the deal gone through, EA would have gotten quite the bargain; Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter estimates that Valve would today be valued at around $2.5 billion, mainly thanks to its Steam digital distribution service. The company is also believed to make far more money from Steam than it does from actual sales of its own games.

This number only looks set to go up, especially with the recent news that the company will be "jumping in" to hardware development.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

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