Iran defies UN resolution, vowing to continue nuclear plans

Iran on Saturday defied a UN Security Council resolution that imposes sanctions on Tehran as an "illegal measure," vowing to push ahead with its nuclear plans.

Ordinary Iranians showed mixed feelings toward the resolution, with some considering it as "waging a war" and others shrugging it off as nothing serious.

Meanwhile, the United States said on Saturday that the resolution was not enough, urging the international community to take more actions against the Islamic Republic.

"ILLEGAL MEASURE"

Shortly after the UN Security Council voted unanimously to impose sanctions against Iran over its controversial nuclear activities, the Iranian Foreign Ministry lashed out at the resolution as an "illegal measure."

Iran considers the resolution as "an illegal measure taken outside the framework of its duty and against the UN Charter," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said in a statement carried on the state television.

The resolution will not stop Iran's nuclear progress and Iran will push ahead with its peaceful nuclear programs, he said, adding that Iran would carry out its plan to install 3,000 uranium enrichment centrifuges.

Iran will work to "make operational the 3,000 centrifuges in Natanz as a continuation of its peaceful nuclear activities," he said.

"The United States and Britain used all their political and legal might to convince the UN Security Council to approve the new resolution ... but it should be noted that these two fading powers can not prevent the development of the Iranian nation through threats and bullying acts," Hosseini said.

The resolution demanded that Iran "suspend all enrichment- related and reprocessing activities, including research and development," and "work on all heavy water-related projects."

It also called on all countries to impose a ban on trade with Iran in goods related to its nuclear programs and ballistic missile delivery systems.

MIXED FEELINGS

On Tehran's streets, anger, indifference and concerns were shown by ordinary people after the UN Security Council passed the resolution.

"This is like waging a war against a nation which wants to be independent and make progress," said Ali Kazemi, who runs a small car repair shop in Tehran's central Imam Khomeini Avenue.

"Our officials should not tolerate such a humiliation," he added.

Mahmoud Yarandi, a taxi driver, dismissed the sanctions as " ridiculous" and said that Iranians have been used to threats.

"It has been for about 25 years that we have been sanctioned, but the measures have only resulted in something the West did not expect," he said.

"This time, you should not expect something serious to happen either," Yarandi said. "We have a big and powerful country here."

But some Iranians voiced concerns over international sanctions against their country.

"I don't think they (the sanctions) will affect our lives for now. But it is not a good thing to be isolated. I don't know what will happen next," said Ebrahim, a money exchange clerk who only gave his first name.

WARNING ON TIES WITH IAEA

Just hours before the UN action, Parliament Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel warned that Iran would revise its relationship with the UN nuclear watchdog if the Security Council imposes sanctions on Tehran.

"If they make an effort to deprive the Iranian nation of their undeniable right for peaceful nuclear technology ... the parliament will reconsider the nature of its relationship with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)," Adel told the state television.

He said that a bill to suspend the IAEA's inspections of Iran's nuclear sites had already been passed by the parliament's National Security and Foreign Affairs Committee.

"If Iran comes under pressure, we will have no other choice but to bring this bill before the parliament for debate," Adel said.

He criticized any Security Council resolution that imposes sanctions on Tehran as a "wrong policy" and reiterated Iran's readiness to talk.

"We believe any such resolution against Iran is a wrong policy and we still insist on the appropriateness and benefits of a negotiated solution to the issue," he said.

"But it was the Europeans who cut off the course of negotiations and opted for a different path," he added.

U.S. DEMANDS MORE ACTIONS

After the Security Council passed the resolution, U.S. officials warned that more actions might be taken to bring Tehran into submission.

Acting U.S. Ambassador Alejandro Wolff called for Iran's unconditional and immediate compliance with the resolution, claiming that it would not hesitate to return to the council for further action if Iran failed to take necessary steps to comply.

U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns said in Washington that "we don't think this resolution is enough in itself. We want the international community to take further action."

"We would like to see more vigorous national and multilateral action against Iran, stronger sanctions -- and not just UN Security Council sanctions but outside the Council -- and we would like to see countries stop doing business as usual with Iran," Burns said.

The United States has long accused Iran of trying to produce nuclear weapons under a civilian cover, a charge denied by Tehran.

Iran has said that it needs to use nuclear power as a peaceful, alternative energy source and has the right to do so under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution in late July, urging Tehran to suspend by Aug. 31 all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, or face possible sanctions.

Due to Iran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, European countries and the United States had sought a new resolution to impose sanctions on Tehran.

Source: Xinhua