Iran defiant over nuclear programme

Iran will continue its nuclear programme even if the United Nations imposes sanctions, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said today, referring to the gathering international momentum toward punishing Iran for its enrichment of uranium.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also brushed off the threat of UN Security Council sanctions, telling state TV: “The nuclear case is already finished. We have closed it.”

“Our nation conquered the peak” of nuclear technology, Ahmadinejad said while touring a vote-counting centre in Tehran that was tabulating the results of Friday’s local elections.

Last week, Western officials said Britain, France, Germany, the US, Russia and China were making progress toward a UN Security Council resolution that would impose penalties on Iran for its refusal to cease uranium enrichment – a process that can produce material for nuclear reactors or bombs.

The US and some of its allies believe Iran is using a civilian nuclear programme to build atomic bombs – a charge Iran denies.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told reporters in his weekly briefing that his government would respond to the draft resolution “in due time”.

“Since our nuclear activities have been in the international framework and regulations, we will continue them even if sanctions are imposed,” Hosseini said.

Iran argues that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, it is entitled to the peaceful use of enrichment, and that its nuclear programme is entirely for the generation of electricity.

However, the UN nuclear watchdog has told Iran to cease enrichment until it has fully answered questions about the scope of its nuclear programme.

On Saturday, Ahmadinejad told an envoy from Kuwait that Iran would be prepared to transfer nuclear technology to its regional neighbours. Earlier this month, Arab Gulf states said they would consider a joint nuclear programme.

Such a technological transfer would be legal as long as it is between signatory states to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, and as long as the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN watchdog, was informed.