Iranian President: No Concessions by Iran over N. Drive

TEHRAN (FNA) – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday Tehran would not make concessions over the country’s nuclear drive despite pressure by world powers.

“The Iranian nation will resist the pressure and not withdraw one iota from its (nuclear) rights. If you (the West) believe that Iran would give in to pressure, then you are making a grave mistake,” Ahmadinejad said in a speech in the southern Iranian port of Bushehr.

The five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany are currently discussing a draft resolution to impose further sanctions on Iran in the protracted dispute over its nuclear program.

The Islamic state insists it is enriching uranium for civilian energy needs and denies US claims that it wants to develop nuclear weapons.

“All charges in this regard are fabricated and Iran has constantly moved in line with international rules,” the president said in his speech.

He called the nuclear dispute the “biggest political challenge in Iran’s post-revolution (1979) history” and said that the Islamic Republic “has mastered this challenge in its favor.”

He once again called on Western states to join Iran in building nuclear power plants a part of a consortium but pointed out that if they did not, the country would be capable of doing so by itself.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki had on Monday warned the Security Council over issuing a new resolution against Iran and said this would lead to a “serious reaction” by Tehran.

Mottaki did not say what the reaction would be, but Tehran had warned in the past that in case of a third UN resolution, the country would revise its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog agreed earlier this month to clear up all outstanding questions on Iran’s uranium enrichment program by mid-February and before the next IAEA board of governors’ meeting.

The president also pointed out that Iran is approaching a “peak” in its nuclear program.

“On the nuclear path we are moving towards the peak,” he said.