Mahmoud tones it down at UN, praises Jesus - but still rants about 'Zionists' on Yom Kippur

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shelved most of his usual hate speech and invoked Jesus Christ in a mellow farewell address Wednesday at the United Nations.

The rambling 35-minute address on the Jewish high holy day of Yom Kippur included shots at the U.S. for the killing of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and “uncivilized Zionists.”

But the Holocaust-denying despot steered clear of the incendiary anti-Israel rhetoric of past appearances, only urging the acceptance of a new world order.

“Today I want to raise and discuss such issues from a different perspective,” said Ahmadinejad, who then proved true to his unlikely words.

The Iranian president never mentioned his nation’s controversial nuclear program, but did cite Christ in his call for “peace and lasting security with a decent life for all.”

The despot blasted the arrogance of unspecified nations — but was clearly talking about Israel when he complained of “the continued threat by the uncivilized Zionists to resort to military action against our great nation is a clear example of this bitter reality.”

He blamed the current world powers for their “wrong management of the world ... the self-proclaimed centers of power have given themselves to the devil.”

Ahmadinejad, who was making his eighth and final appearance before the U.N. General Assembly, did criticize the Obama administration’s handling of the Bin Laden killing.

He did acknowledge Bin Laden as “the culprit” in the 9/11 attacks, but Ahmadinejad ripped the U.S. for “throwing (Bin Laden’s body) into the sea.”

Instead, “an independent fact-finding team” should have conducted an investigation to “make the general public aware of the truth” in the raid by U.S. Navy SEALs.

The Iranian’s words echoed off empty seats in the U.S. delegation, which exited before Ahmadinejad stepped to the podium with a crisp salute.

“It’s particularly unfortunate that Mr. Ahmadinejad will have the platform of the U.N. General Assembly on Yom Kippur, which is why the United States has decided not to attend,” said Erin Pelton, the spokeswoman for the U.S. mission to the U.N.

By Rich Schapiro AND Larry Mcshane / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS