Global General
Iran accuses West, vows to pursue nuclear program
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-11 06:32
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TEHRAN - Tehran accused the West on Thursday of cheating the world on the UN resolutions to impose a new round of sanctions against the country and vowed to pursue its "peaceful" nuclear program.
The UN Security Council Wednesday adopted a resolution to impose a fourth round of sanctions against Iran over its suspected nuclear program.
Referring to the adoption of new sanctions, the spokesman asserted that such moves are aimed at preventing the Iranian nation from pursuing its "peaceful" nuclear program and are "incorrect and illegal," the report said.
"But such moves will never prevent Iran from pursuing its 'peaceful' nuclear program," he was quoted as saying.
Talking to IRNA on Thursday, Mehmanparast said the West adopts double-standard approach concerning Iran's rights to "peaceful" nuclear program, however, the best way to respect rights of all nations is to avoid discriminatory attitudes.
Elsewhere, the spokesman referred to the adoption of sanctions as politically-motivated attitude by the West towards Tehran's "goodwill."
Iran has insisted that the Tehran declaration signed by Iran, Turkey and Brazil on May 17 to endorse a fuel swap, in light of which Iran will ship most of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for the 20 percent uranium fuel needed for its reactor, was a sign of Iran's goodwill.
Also, Mehmanparast hailed the stance taken by Turkey, Brazil and Lebanon regarding the UN Security Council's sanction resolution against Iran and said the approach of the three countries is an indication of new developments at the international arena, IRNA said.
The Wednesday resolution was approved by the 15-member council with a vote of 12 in favor. Brazil and Turkey voted against it and Lebanon abstained.
Iranian lawmaker Mohammad Karim Abedi said in an interview with IRNA on Thursday that the UN Security Council resolution "lacks any legal and political value."
Iran has already encountered such resolutions, but "none of them had any impact on Iran," Abedi was quoted as saying.
Referring to his country's international commitments concerning its nuclear program, he said that Iran has always respected the international conventions.
Also, Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said the United States is playing a "naive game" over the country's controversial nuclear program, local English language satellite Press TV reported on Thursday.
Larijani made the remarks on Wednesday after the UN Security Council voted in favor of imposing fresh sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program, the report said.
By pushing towards sanctions, "the U.S. game against Iran was being spearheaded by the Zionist (Israel) lobby," he said according to Press TV.
On Thursday, Chinese Special Envoy to the Middle East Wu Sike said that China is keen to find a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear issue through diplomatic ways.
"China objects to Iran developing nuclear weapons, but it supports, however, its right in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, " he said at a press conference held in the Chinese embassy in Damascus.
"UN resolution does not close the door to diplomatic solution," he added.
Meanwhile, Russia said Thursday it would freeze the sale of S- 300 air defense systems to Iran in line with new UN sanctions against Iran adopted a day earlier.
"The UN Security Council's resolutions are mandatory to all countries. Russia is no exception here. Naturally, the (previously signed) contract for the delivery of S-300 missile systems to Tehran will be frozen," the Interfax news agency quoted a source as saying.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday lashed out at the UN Security Council over imposing new sanctions on Iran in connection with its nuclear program.
Erdogan said that Turkey voted "no" to UN Security Council's sanctions against Iran, because Turkey, Iran and Brazil signed a nuclear swap deal.
"If we had not said 'no' to sanctions, we would have denied ourselves. It would be a dishonor. We would not want to participate in such a dishonor because history will not forgive us, " he said.
On Wednesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the resolution against Iran "worth nothing," the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told the semi- official Fars news agency on Wednesday that the decision by the UN Security Council is "a move backward."