Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday vowed to continue his country's nuclear program and said world powers could just "play with papers," apparently brushing off possible new UN sanctions pushed by the West.
Ahmadinejad delivered the speech to tens of thousands of Iranians at a rally in Tehran to mark the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution which toppled former shah.
"They (Western powers) must understand the Iranians will not back one iota from their nuclear rights ... the nuclear dossier is closed and they can do nothing but playing with pieces of paper," the president said.
Ahmadinejad declared that Iran would send two more rockets into the space in the coming months, adding he hope "Iran's first home-made satellite would be launched in the summer."
On Feb. 4, Iran showed off its space drive by launching its first home-made space research center and firing a rocket designed to send its first home-made satellite, a move that immediately irked its arch foe, the United States.
Tens of thousands of Iranians took into streets in Tehran on Monday, joining a large gathering at the famous Azadi Square and celebrating the 29th anniversary of the Islamic revolution, to show their support to Ahmadinejad and the country's nuclear rights.
A Xinhua correspondent at the scene saw jubilant men and women with black chador chanting "down with the U.S.A."
Western countries accused Iran of using a civilian nuclear program as a cover to develop nuclear weapons, a charge repeatedly denied by Tehran.
The UN Security Council has adopted two resolutions -- one in December 2006 and the other in March of 2007 -- in attempts to force Iran to suspend uranium enrichment activities and to give up its nuclear programs.
World powers last month agreed the outline of a third sanction resolution against Iran and the UN Security Council.
Iran has downplayed the effect of possible new sanctions, saying Tehran would show a "serious and logical reaction" if the UN Security Council issue a third resolution.
Source: Xinhua
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