Iranian lawmaker Zohreh Tayyebzadeh has questioned the necessity of a 120-member delegation accompanying President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the US in such situation that the country faces shortage of foreign currency and inflation as well as sanctions are mounting pressure on people.

�The presence of president in international bodies is necessary for declaring Iran�s stances and pursuing the objectives of the Islamic Revolution, but there is no need for taking a 120-member delegation during a trip to a hostile country that has no political and cultural ties with Iran,� Tayyebzadeh said on Monday.

Tayyebzadeh added that according to reports, Iran had requested visas for 160 people but 120 visas were issues, saying, �The president must be accountable that why he has made such request to a hostile country only to have his request rejected by them.� Tayyebzadeh stated that �we will demand explanation from the president for taking such unusual delegation.�

It is noteworthy that the US dollar exchange rate broke a new record in Iran on Tuesday. US dollar was sold at 26,300 Rials on the unofficial Iranian market on Tuesday compared with 24,750 rials on Sunday. The pound and the euro were also traded at 42,500 rials and 33,900 rials, compared with 40,300 rials and 32,500 rials, respectively.

The Iranian president arrived in New York on Sunday to attend the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly. He has held talks with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and will address the General Assembly on Wednesday.