"Undoubtedly, Resolution 1696 is the most invalid and ridiculous resolution passed in the six decades of United Nations activities," the English-language Tehran Times said in a front-page commentary.

The UN Security Council on Monday passed the resolution demanding a suspension of Iran's uranium enrichment or face possible economic and diplomatic sanctions.

The resolution was adopted by a vote of 14 to 1. Qatar, the only Arab nation on the Security Council, cast the only negative vote.

The Iranian newspaper commentary defied the Security Council resolution's threat to impose economic and diplomatic sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

"Iranian officials will definitely make appropriate decisions to maintain national interests without being influenced by this hasty move," it said.

"The past three decades have proven that sanctions cannot prevent the Iranian nation from attaining its goals, but rather that sanctions will help it reach its goals," it added. It also criticized the Security Council for failure to condemn Israeli air raid on southern Lebanese village of Qana which killed over 50 civilians, mostly children and women.

The Security Council "has only expressed regret over the massacre of defenseless children in Lebanon's Qana but has passed a resolution against Iran's peaceful nuclear program within the framework of international law," it said.

The resolution, adopted after weeks of negotiation, demands Iran "suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development."

On the insistence of Council members such as Russia and China, the resolution dropped the threat of immediate sanctions, and requires the Council to hold further discussions before it considers sanctions.

Explaining Iran's position on the nuclear issue, Iranian ambassador to the UN Javad Zarif said that Iran are not seeking confrontation and have showed its readiness to engage in serious and result-oriented negotiation based on mutual respect and equal footing.

"Iran's peaceful nuclear program poses no threat to international peace and security and therefore dealing with this issue in the Security Council is unwarranted and void of any legal basis or practical utility," he said.

Iran has promised to give an official response on Aug. 22 to the six-nation proposal which demands Iran suspend enrichment in return for economic incentives.