News Flash

Iran dismisses UN resolution, threatening counter measures

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-10 04:30

TEHRAN - Iranian officials opposed strongly the latest round of UN Security Council sanctions on their country, threatening to take measures against the move.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Wednesday said the resolution against Iran "worth nothing", the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.

"These resolutions worth not a dime for the Iranian nation," Ahmadinejad said when visiting Tajikistan.

The president compared those resolutions to used towels that should be thrown in waste bin, saying "they cannot harm Iranians."

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Wednesday it is western powers that would suffer from the new sanctions against Tehran, noting it is a mistake only adds pressure to the West, local satellite Press TV reported.

He added those who voted for the sanctions would face the consequences of their own decision.

He also told the semi-official Fars news agency that the decision by the UN Security Council is "a move backward".

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chief of Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, referred to the resolution as "politically motivated", "illegal" and "unacceptable", the semi- official Mehr news agency reported.

The lawmaker said the commission will propose to the parliament Sunday an urgent discussion on "the reduction of cooperation with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)," in response to the resolution.

Referring to Russia and China's voting for the resolution, he said "Russia and China are influenced by the U.S. measures and Iran's Supreme National Security Council should comment on their ( Russia and China's) position."

Meanwhile, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei, chief advisor to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said "we do not accept the resolution. It is just like the previous resolutions (of UN Security Council)."

Rahim-Mashaei, who was talking to ISNA in Tajikistan, said "by voting for this resolution, they (the world powers) did not respond positively to Tehran declaration."

Turkey and Brazil last month reached a deal with Tehran to deposit 1,200 kg of low-enriched uranium in return for 120 kg of high-enriched uranium for a research reactor.

The UN Security Council Wednesday adopted a resolution to impose a fourth round of sanctions against Iran over its suspected nuclear program.

Related readings:  US hails new UN resolution on Iran  China stresses dialogue, negotiation for Iran nuclear issue solution  Six world powers call for 'early negotiated solution' to Iran nuclear issue

The resolution was approved by the 15-member Council by a vote of 12 in favor. Brazil and Turkey voted against it and Lebanon abstained.

Following Wednesday's pass of the resolution, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council as well as Germany in a joint statement reiterated a call for "an early negotiated solution" to the Iranian nuclear issue.

The resolution, which reflects the international community's concern about the Iranian nuclear program, "keeps the door open for continued engagement" between the six countries and Iran, the statement said.

"The aim of our efforts is to achieve a comprehensive and long- term settlement which would restore international confidence in the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program, while respecting Iran's legitimate rights to the peaceful use of atomic energy," they said.

"We expect Iran to demonstrate a pragmatic attitude and to respond positively to our openness towards dialogue and negotiations," they added.