In an address marking National Nuclear Day, Ahmadinejad said Iran was now a "nuclear nation" and that it was Western pressure which had forced it to enrich uranium to the 20 percent level.
"We have said several times that we are honest. We are sure that we are on the right path. But they should know that those who sit in glass palaces are wrong to try to deflect Iran's will," the Iranian President said.
"These kinds of actions will make Iranians more determined," the president said. "For example, four months ago we had no intention of making 20 percent (enriched uranium) fuel. But when they talked of threats, we went ahead."
Ahmadinejad renewed the denial on Friday but again said Iran was now a nuclear nation. "We are against nuclear weapons... we consider nuclear weapons to be inhuman," he said. "They know the path of the Iranian nation is a path of no return. Our experts have reached a point where no power can create hurdles in the way of Iran getting nuclear technology."
"Today, Iran is a nuclear nation. Whether the ill-wishers accept it or not, it is a nuclear nation and with God's help it will remain one," he said to chants of Allahu Akbar (God is greater) from the crowd.
Before his speech, Ahmadinejad unveiled a model of a new generation of uranium-enriching centrifuge that atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi said was capable of enriching uranium six times faster than Iran's existing centrifuges.
Ahmadinejad's comments came a day after China joined five other major powers in agreeing to further talks on a new round of UN sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
Envoys of Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany huddled for nearly three hours behind closed doors to mull a US draft resolution that would slap sanctions on Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards believed to be involved in nuclear proliferation activities. "We had a worthwhile discussion," US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice told reporters at the end of the meeting held at Britain's UN mission.
"We look forward to continuing these discussions here in New York and in capitals in the days and weeks to come." she added. Earlier Thursday, Rice said at UN headquarters: "I am not prepared to predict when they (the talks) will conclude or not." "We are working to get this done swiftly, within a matter of weeks in the spring," she added.
Her Russian counterpart Vitaly Churkin meanwhile emerged from the meeting, saying: "We heard some constructive proposals." In Prague, US and Russian presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev warned Iran of possible sanctions shortly after signing a new strategic arms reduction treaty.
The two leaders said Iran could expect a fourth round of UN sanctions if it maintains its refusal to halt uranium enrichment and cooperate with UN atomic watchdog inspectors. The United States and its Western allies believe Tehran is using uranium enrichment as a cover to build nuclear weapons, a claim the Iranians deny.
In New York, China's UN Ambassador Li Baodong said after the meeting that the six powers would continue to pursue a diplomatic solution even as they sought a deal over sanctions to persuade Tehran to halt its uranium enrichment program. "The dual track (sanctions coupled with negotiations) approach is actually focused on diplomacy," Li said, adding that fresh talks were planned for next week. Churkin echoed those remarks.
Obama called for "smart" and "strong" sanctions by the United Nations, which in May will hold a review conference on the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. "I have said many times that sanctions very often do not work, but sometimes they are necessary.... These need to be smart sanctions, capable of prompting the right behavior," Medvedev added.
Meanwhile the State Department said efforts to pressure Iran to “curtail” its nuclear program will also be a "significant" topic during next week's nuclear summit in Washington. "We continue to do everything we can to produce an appropriate resolution as soon as possible and we're very mindful of the timetable," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said.
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad however said Thursday he would not beg the world powers to refrain from imposing new sanctions on the Islamic republic. And Iran's top general, Hassan Firouzabadi, warned that if Washington attacks the Islamic republic none of the American soldiers in the region will return home alive, the Fars news agency reported. Firouzabadi's comments come a day after Ahmadinejad warned Obama of a tough response as he lashed out against Washington's new nuclear doctrine.
"Be careful. If you set step in Mr (George W.) Bush's path, the nations' response would be the same tooth-breaking one as they gave Bush," Ahmadinejad said Wednesday. A day earlier, the US leader said for the first time that countries without atomic weapons that complied with non-proliferation treaty obligations need not fear a US nuclear attack. But Obama also warned that exceptions could be made for "outliers" such as Iran and North Korea, both of which are accused by the West of flouting UN resolutions.
Republicans applauded loudly when Liz Cheney, announces Netanayhu's decision ...
Via Friday-Lunch-Club
Politico/ here
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has abruptly canceled his plans to attend President Barack Obama’s nuclear security summit next week, creating an embarrassing distraction on the eve of a high-profile meeting the White House has sought to carefully choreograph.
An Israeli official confirmed Netanyahu’s decision not to attend, which was revealed by Israeli media outlets Thursday afternoon Washington time.“In the last 24 hours, the Israeli government has learned of various reports from various sources on the intention of several states attending the conference not only to deal with the issue at hand, but to take the opportunity to make a point of grand-standing against Israel and the issue of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty," the Israeli official said. "The prime minister was dismayed at this, and decided to stick to the Israeli policy that Israel is usually represented at these types of conferences at the professional-ministerial level.”Another official, Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor, will head the Israeli delegation attending the summit on securing nuclear materials.....The crowd of Republican activists at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans Thursday night applauded loudly when told, by Liz Cheney, of Netanayhu's decision. "President Obama is playing a reckless game if he continues down the path of diminishing America's ties to Israel," she said...... "
Posted by G, Z, or B at 5:41 AM
Uprooted Palestinian
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