Iran's flinty President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday that his
country would not accept a call from the UN Security Council to suspend its
nuclear activities before this Friday.
"They shouldn't think they can baptize a wrong decision with the help of the
Security Council. Change your decision and we'll sit and talk," Ahmadinejad told
a press conference, dismissing a Security Council call for a suspension of its
nuclear activities before a deadline that expires this Friday.
The UN Security Council has demanded that Iran suspend all uranium enrichment
activities by April 28, which was rejected by Tehran.
Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad said at Monday's press conference that the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should work based on justice.
"Iran's nuclear technology is only for peaceful purposes. Iran has nothing to
hide and its nuclear program is within the framework of international
regulations," said the president. "Today, nobody can rely on nuclear arsenals,
Iran expects that IAEA works based on justice," he added.
Mohamed ElBaradei, chief of the IAEA, is expected to submit a report on
Iran's nuclear issue to the Security Council in the coming days.
On April 11, Ahmadinejad officially declared that Iran has gained ticket to
join global nuclear club by having produced 3.5 percent enriched uranium, a
technological leap in the process for nuclear power plant construction, which
immediately aroused strong concern internationally.
