Iran stands firm on nuclear ambition
Mr Ahmadinejad says he is interested in dialogue not "threats"
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Sunday, 08, Oct 2006 06:32
Iran has reiterated that it will not suspend its uranium enrichment programme, despite the threat of economic sanctions looming from the UN.
After talks held in London on Friday, the permanent members of the UN security council and Germany agreed that the issue of punitive sanctions against the Middle Eastern country should be put to the entire council.
But a spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry today said: "The suspension is completely unacceptable and we have rejected it. The threat of sanctions is an inefficient means to achieve a solution."
"It [temporary suspension] has never been part of our policy and it will not be part of it," Mohammad Ali Hosseini added.
Tehran insists that its nuclear aims are peaceful and are concerned solely with developing civilian energy supplies.
But earlier this year the country rejected an incentives package from the world powers that offered aid in pursuing these projects.
Russia and China are the countries least in favour of hitting Iran with sanctions, with the latter dependant upon the Middle Eastern state's vast oil resources.
The US and UK meanwhile are the punitive sanctions' most vigorous exponents.
Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today told the Fars News Agency that: "Using the language of threats and force against Iran will have no results. Iran is interested in dialogue and talks to resolve its nuclear issue."