Iran's flinty President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday 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.
(Xinhua News Agency April 25, 2006)
