Iran will not yield on nukes

TEHRAN – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday vowed that Iran would not yield in the crisis over its nuclear drive but the White House warned again that it risks more sanctions if it fails to freeze sensitive nuclear work.

“The Iranian people are steadfast and will not step back an inch against the oppressive powers,” Ahmadinejad told a rally in the southwestern province of Kohgelouyeh-Boyerahmad. His defiant comments come after world powers warned Iran has only a fortnight to respond to their latest offer seeking to end a five-year crisis that has raised fears of regional conflict and sent oil prices spiralling.The White House said it was still hopeful Tehran would suspend its controversial nuclear activities, otherwise more international sanctions would follow.”We hope the Iranians will provide a positive answer,” national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.But “if they do not, the international community is united that more sanctions are coming.”World powers have offered to start pre-negotiations during which Tehran would add no more uranium-enriching centrifuges and in return face no further sanctions – the so-called “freeze-for-freeze” approach.Iran is already under three sets of UN Security Council sanctions over its refusal to halt sensitive uranium enrichment work, which the West fears could be aimed at making nuclear weapons.The United States took the unprecedented step of sending a top diplomat to meet Iran’s chief negotiator Saeed Jalili at Saturday’s international talks in Geneva which ended in a stalemate.But Washington, which has led the efforts to thwart Iran’s nuclear drive, has also warned Tehran of “punitive measures” if it spurns the international offer and presses on with enrichment work.Ahmadinejad welcomed the US presence in talks as a “positive step” and said that the US diplomat William Burns had talked “politely in the meeting and respected the Iranian nation.”But the president vowed that further sanctions would not force Iran to back down in the standoff.”The Iranian nation does not value your threats.You are mistaken if you think you can force this nation to back down with sanctions, threats and pressure,” he said.Iran denies allegations of seeking nuclear weapons, insisting that its programme is designed to provide energy for its growing population when the OPEC member’s reserves of fossil fuels run out.Permanent Security Council members – Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States – plus Germany have made Iran an offer, which includes trade incentives and help with a civilian nuclear programme in return for suspending enrichment.Nampa-AFPHis defiant comments come after world powers warned Iran has only a fortnight to respond to their latest offer seeking to end a five-year crisis that has raised fears of regional conflict and sent oil prices spiralling.The White House said it was still hopeful Tehran would suspend its controversial nuclear activities, otherwise more international sanctions would follow.”We hope the Iranians will provide a positive answer,” national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.But “if they do not, the international community is united that more sanctions are coming.”World powers have offered to start pre-negotiations during which Tehran would add no more uranium-enriching centrifuges and in return face no further sanctions – the so-called “freeze-for-freeze” approach.Iran is already under three sets of UN Security Council sanctions over its refusal to halt sensitive uranium enrichment work, which the West fears could be aimed at making nuclear weapons.The United States took the unprecedented step of sending a top diplomat to meet Iran’s chief negotiator Saeed Jalili at Saturday’s international talks in Geneva which ended in a stalemate.But Washington, which has led the efforts to thwart Iran’s nuclear drive, has also warned Tehran of “punitive measures” if it spurns the international offer and presses on with enrichment work.Ahmadinejad welcomed the US presence in talks as a “positive step” and said that the US diplomat William Burns had talked “politely in the meeting and respected the Iranian nation.”But the president vowed that further sanctions would not force Iran to back down in the standoff.”The Iranian nation does not value your threats.You are mistaken if you think you can force this nation to back down with sanctions, threats and pressure,” he said.Iran denies allegations of seeking nuclear weapons, insisting that its programme is designed to provide energy for its growing population when the OPEC member’s reserves of fossil fuels run out.Permanent Security Council members – Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States – plus Germany have made Iran an offer, which includes trade incentives and help with a civilian nuclear programme in return for suspending enrichment.Nampa-AFP