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Iran dismisses UN nuclear deadline
Source: Agencies |
December 23, 2009, Wednesday
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IRAN'S president yesterday dismissed a year-end deadline set by the Obama administration and the West for Tehran to accept a United Nations-drafted deal to swap enriched uranium for nuclear fuel, and claimed his government was now "10 times stronger" than a year ago.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's remarks underscored Tehran's defiance in the nuclear standoff - and also sought to send a message that his government has not been weakened by the protest movement sparked by June's disputed presidential election. His comments came a day after the latest opposition protest by tens of thousands mourning a dissident cleric who died over the weekend.
President Barack Obama has set a rough deadline of the end of this year for Iran to respond to an offer of dialogue and show it will allay fears of weapons development. Washington and its allies are warning of new, tougher sanctions on Iran if it doesn't respond.
The UN-proposed deal is the centerpiece of the West's diplomatic effort. Under the deal, Tehran would ship most of its stockpile of low-enriched uranium abroad to be processed into fuel rods, which would ease the West's fears that the material could be used to produce a nuclear weapon.
Iran, which denies it seeks to build a bomb, has balked at the deal's terms.
The international community can give Iran "as many deadlines as they want, we don't care," Ahmadinejad said in a speech to thousands of supporters in the southern city of Shiraz.
Ahmadinejad dismissed the threat of sanctions, saying Iran wants talks "under just conditions where there is mutual respect."
"We told you that we are not afraid of sanctions against us, and we are not intimidated," he said, addressing the West. "If Iran wanted to make a bomb, we would be brave enough to tell you."
As the crowd cheered: "We love you, Ahmadinejad," the Iranian leader lashed out at Washington, vowing Iran would stand up against US attempts to "dominate the Middle East."
Ahmadinejad also shrugged off Iran's continued political turmoil since the June election. In the latest street protest despite a fierce government crackdown, tens of thousands turned out for the funeral of Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri and chanted slogans against the country's rulers.
Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad has dismissed as a forgery a purported secret document that lays out a plan for developing a critical component of an atomic bomb. The document, first reported in British newspaper the Times, appears to describe a work plan for developing a neutron initiator, used to detonate a bomb. US officials say its authenticity has not been confirmed.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's remarks underscored Tehran's defiance in the nuclear standoff - and also sought to send a message that his government has not been weakened by the protest movement sparked by June's disputed presidential election. His comments came a day after the latest opposition protest by tens of thousands mourning a dissident cleric who died over the weekend.
President Barack Obama has set a rough deadline of the end of this year for Iran to respond to an offer of dialogue and show it will allay fears of weapons development. Washington and its allies are warning of new, tougher sanctions on Iran if it doesn't respond.
The UN-proposed deal is the centerpiece of the West's diplomatic effort. Under the deal, Tehran would ship most of its stockpile of low-enriched uranium abroad to be processed into fuel rods, which would ease the West's fears that the material could be used to produce a nuclear weapon.
Iran, which denies it seeks to build a bomb, has balked at the deal's terms.
The international community can give Iran "as many deadlines as they want, we don't care," Ahmadinejad said in a speech to thousands of supporters in the southern city of Shiraz.
Ahmadinejad dismissed the threat of sanctions, saying Iran wants talks "under just conditions where there is mutual respect."
"We told you that we are not afraid of sanctions against us, and we are not intimidated," he said, addressing the West. "If Iran wanted to make a bomb, we would be brave enough to tell you."
As the crowd cheered: "We love you, Ahmadinejad," the Iranian leader lashed out at Washington, vowing Iran would stand up against US attempts to "dominate the Middle East."
Ahmadinejad also shrugged off Iran's continued political turmoil since the June election. In the latest street protest despite a fierce government crackdown, tens of thousands turned out for the funeral of Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri and chanted slogans against the country's rulers.
Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad has dismissed as a forgery a purported secret document that lays out a plan for developing a critical component of an atomic bomb. The document, first reported in British newspaper the Times, appears to describe a work plan for developing a neutron initiator, used to detonate a bomb. US officials say its authenticity has not been confirmed.
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