Nasser Karimi, Associated Press, Tehran | Wed, 08/10/2011 7:22 PM

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday urged the UN Security Council to take action over the rioting in Britain, arguing it was hypocritical in its reaction to such events.

Ahmadinejad, whose government is under international sanction for its controversial nuclear program and has been condemned by the Western countries such as Britain for its handling of protests and dissent, also called on British officials to listen to the demands of their people.

“The U.N. is silent. Human rights bodies are silent,” Ahmadinejad said on state radio following a Cabinet meeting. “If one percent of this happens in countries that oppose the West, they scream until they are hoarse.”

“Why is the Security Council silent?” he said, also questioning its willingness to take action directed at one of its five veto-wielding permanent members.

Iran’s nuclear file has been a fixture before the council, where the United States, Britain, China, Russia and France hold permanent seats. The other 10 spots rotate between other U.N. member states, and the council is the only body within the United Nations that can authorize any punitive measure, including military action, on countries.