Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe lashes out at Western countries while speaking to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on Thursday. (Richard Drew/Associated Press)

Zimbabwe's president lashed out at Western powers in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, accusing them of genocide and calling for them to lift sanctions against his country.

Robert Mugabe said Western nations like the United States and Britain have no right to accuse him of crimes against humanity.

"Those who falsely accuse us of these violations are themselves international perpetrators of genocide, acts of aggression and mass destruction," Robert Mugabe said in his speech.

"The masses of innocent men, women and children who have perished in their thousands in Iraq surely demand retribution and vengeance. Who shall heed their cry?" Mugabe asked.

Western sanctions have long targeted individuals and companies seen to be supporting Mugabe's government, but the restrictions were tightened after Zimbabwe's troubled election in March.

Mugabe did not mention the election in his speech, but he thanked South Africa's former president, Thabo Mbeki, and the Southern African Development Community for their mediation efforts.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the most votes in presidential polling, but not enough to avoid a runoff vote against Mugabe. An onslaught of violence against Tsvangirai's supporters led him to drop out of the second race, and Mugabe was declared the overwhelming winner of the second vote.

International observers called the election a sham.

Under a power-sharing deal signed Sept. 15 with his rivals, Mugabe is supposed to cede some of the powers he has wielded for nearly three decades in the southern African country.

The United States only had a note-taker present for Mugabe's speech.

Pakistan, Iraq leaders address assembly

Also addressing the General Assembly on Thursday was Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, who said his government has "relentless determination" to impose the rule of law and disarm militias.

"The road to achieving our desired goal of a secure, stable and prosperous Iraq is long," Talabani said.

"We hope that the international community will support and assist Iraq in achieving these goals."

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari meanwhile, talked to the UN about NATO's decision to fly patrol helicopters in Pakistan along the Afghan border on Thursday. Pakistan responded by firing flares at the helicopters.

"Just as we will not let Pakistan's territory to be used by terrorists for attacks against our people and our neighbours, we cannot allow our territory and our sovereignty to be violated by our friends," Zardari told the UN.