Iran will not be deflected from its right to develop nuclear technology by referral to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday.
"If they want to destroy the Iranian nation's rights by that course, they will not succeed," Ahmadinejad told a news conference when asked about European moves to refer Tehran to the world body over a suspected atomic weapons programme.
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| Bush: Iran aiming for nukes, Israel's destruction / Ynetnews |
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U.S. President George Bush holds joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, warns: 'Iran trying to clandestinely develop nuclear weapon,' says Iran armed with nuclear weapons is 'step closer' to stated agenda of trying to destroy Israel |
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Iran raised the stakes in the dispute this week by removing U.N. seals on equipment that purifies uranium, which can be used for power or, if highly enriched, in bombs.
The United States and the European Union's three biggest powers have said talks with Iran on the issue are at a dead end, and that they will ask the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency to refer the case to the Security Council.
Britain, Germany and France said this week that Iran had consistently breached its commitments and failed to show the world its nuclear activities were peaceful.
Tehran denies suggestions that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, and says it needs nuclear technology only to generate electricity.
'Did Holocaust happen?'
Turning his attention to Israel, the Iranian president said "the people living in Israel, where do they come from? Where did they live before? They kill innocent people and establish a new government in another people's land."
"They're all immigrants from other countries," Ahmadinejad added. "Why does a nation of immigrants have the right to say whatever it wants and the Palestinians don't have the same rights?"
Addressing the Holocaust, Ahmadinejad said he's still waiting for an answer from nations of the world on whether the Holocaust happened. The Iranian president attempted to dismiss his earlier Holocaust denial, saying he was merely asking the question, but added that "if the Holocaust didn't happen, why are they making it up?"
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