Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asserted over the weekend of 23/24^th February that his country will continue its nuclear programme in spite of the sanctions imposed by the United Nations.

"If they want to continue with that path of sanctions, we will not be harmed. They can issue resolutions for 100 years", Ahmadinejad said in televised comments.

His remarks followed a report carried out by the United Nations which stated that, although Iran’s transparency has improved, “credible” assurances that its uranium enrichment is not connected to weapon development remain unprovided.

Tehran is adamant that the programme is intended solely for the production of electricity.

Rice: “Very Strong Case” for Further Iranian Sanctions

After the issue of the report, which was carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, stated that there was a “very strong case” for further sanctions to be imposed on Iran.

The report, said Rice, showed Iran’s attempts to cease its enrichment of uranium as unsatisfactory.

A meeting is scheduled to be held on the 25^th February in Washington, with representatives from the US, China, Russia, France and the UK set to attend, and where the issue of what to do next in regards to Iran will be discussed.

Ahmadinejad: Nuclear Report a “Victory”

As far as President Ahmadinejad was concerned, the IAEA report stood as a “victory” for his country. “I congratulate your eminence and the Iranian people on the historic victory of Iran in its greatest confrontation with the oppressive powers since the (1979) Islamic revolution", Iranian TV quoted him as having told Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The report, which was released on the 22^nd February, spoke positively of Iran’s cooperation in permitting IAEA inspectors entry to sites where access was previously not allowed.

Despite this, Iran persisted in being evasive on certain subjects, such as allegations of it having covertly turned nuclear material into a weapon, it said.

Additionally, it had avoided questions on the design of a missile warhead, leading those behind the report to write: "This is a matter of serious concern."

Resolution Urges for Wider-Reaching Sanctions on Iran

Last week, a UN Security Council resolution was introduced jointly by France and Britain, backed by China, Germany, Russia and the US. The resolution pushes for an increase in the number of Iranian firms covered by sanctions, as well restrictions on where some Iranian officials can travel to.

Towards the end of 2007, a National Intelligence Estimate study said that Iran has ceased producing nuclear weapons four years earlier. However, as far as the US and others are concerned, Iran’s persistence with enriching uranium will ultimately provide it with the capability to construct a bomb.

Source – Armed Forces International’s US Correspondent

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