"The Iranian people are not afraid of the threat posed by the United Nations Security Council," Hojjatoleslam Ahmad Khatami, substitute Friday prayers leader, was quoted as saying in a speech to worshipers.

"Patience and resistance are the two major factors that definitely thwart all plots of enemies," Khatami said. Khatami also cited a frustrated hostage rescue operation of the United States in 1980, hinting any activity against Iran were doomed to fail.

"During those days, the sands of the Tabas desert acted like forces of God Almighty and killed them (U.S. troops)," Khatami said.

In November 1979, five months after Iran's Islamic Revolution, a group of Iranian students took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held 52 people hostages for 444 days.

In April 1980, an aerocade of U.S. aircraft, which was sent secretly by the White House to Iran to rescue the hostages, landed in the Dasht-e Kavir desert near the eastern Iranian city Tabas for refueling.

But a strong sandstorm caused crash of two helicopters and a C-130 transport plane, which killed several American soldiers and finally led to the abortion of the mission.

Khatami's comments came two days after the International Atomic Energy Agency handed over the Iranian nuclear file to the UN Security Council.

The Security Council is scheduled to convene next week to deliberate on the next move on the Iranian nuclear issue.

Iranian Supreme Leader Seyed Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that the Islamic Republic would never give in under pressures and bullies, vowing to forge ahead with the development of nuclear energy.