Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday that Tehran is determined to continue its nuclear activities despite looming UN sanctions against the Islamic republic, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"The opposition of enemies to the success and progress of the Iranian nation is due to their monopolist approach," Ahmadinejad was quoted as telling a rally in the Caspian city of Nowshahr.

Iran is determined to continue its nuclear activities with its full potential and threats from the "enemies" will not affect such a decision, he said.

Ahmadinejad's remarks came as French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said that Iran would face UN sanctions for its refusal to suspend its nuclear program.

"The question is about the scope of sanctions but there will be sanctions," Douste-Blazy said Wednesday on RTL radio.

The five veto-holding members of the UN Security Council -- the United States, Britain, Russia, China and France -- plus Germany, met at the French Foreign Ministry on Tuesday trying to reach an agreement on sanctions against Iran.

But they failed to reach an accord on a UN resolution to impose sanctions on Iran, although the French Foreign Ministry said there was "substantive progress."

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.

But the Iranian government has repeatedly said that the country would press ahead with its nuclear program despite the UN warning, insisting that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes.