Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rejected allegations over his country's nuclear program and referred to a United Nations nuclear agency report released last week as a “great victory.''
The International Atomic Energy Agency report is a “great victory over the domineering powers,'' Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying late yesterday by the state-run Fars news agency. “The report made clear that Iran has not deviated in its nuclear activities.''
The IAEA said Feb. 22 it shared with the Iranian government intelligence alleging that the country researched how to make an atomic bomb. The agency also said its inspectors have not detected the use of nuclear material in connection with the intelligence reports.
The IAEA said Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei “has urged Iran to engage actively with the agency in a more detailed examination of the documents.'' Iran has claimed the documents were fabricated, the agency said.
Iran has answered questions raised by the agency over the country's past nuclear activities and “considers these accusations as lacking any legal value,'' Ahmadinejad said in a live interview on Iran's state television last night, according to Fars.
The U.S. and some European countries allege Iran is enriching uranium to learn the techniques needed to make a nuclear weapon. Iran, the world's second-biggest holder of oil reserves, says it is enriching uranium to produce fuel for a nuclear power station.
The U.S., Britain and France have introduced a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council that would impose new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. A vote on the draft is to be held this week.
“Our red line is the rights of Iranians and we will not surrender one bit, '' Ahmadinejad said. “Even if they issue resolutions for 100 years.''
