Iran vows no surrender on nuclear programme

TEHRAN – On the eve of a key meeting of the UN atomic watchdog, Iran has signalled it will never bow to Western demands to dismantle parts of its nuclear programme and is ready to face the consequences.

Addressing the UN General Assembly on Saturday, hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad launched a virulent attack on what he said was “nuclear apartheid” and said it was the United States that was guilty of nuclear proliferation. “If some try to impose their will on the Iranian people through resorting to a language of force and threat with Iran, we will reconsider our entire approach to the nuclear issue,” he warned in a speech loaded with anti-Western rhetoric.His much-anticipated proposals to solve the crisis merely reaffirmed Iran’s “right” to possess the full nuclear fuel cycle – a technology Iran insists is aimed at producing energy but could be diverted to weapons use.Foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi warned of a “radicalisation” in the stand-off if the IAEA board refers the issue to the Security Council.- Nampa-AFP”If some try to impose their will on the Iranian people through resorting to a language of force and threat with Iran, we will reconsider our entire approach to the nuclear issue,” he warned in a speech loaded with anti-Western rhetoric.His much-anticipated proposals to solve the crisis merely reaffirmed Iran’s “right” to possess the full nuclear fuel cycle – a technology Iran insists is aimed at producing energy but could be diverted to weapons use.Foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi warned of a “radicalisation” in the stand-off if the IAEA board refers the issue to the Security Council.- Nampa-AFP