TEHRAN, 2 October 2004 — Iran is determined to press ahead with its nuclear program even if its nuclear dossier is sent to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions, a leading cleric said yesterday. Ahmad Jannati told worshipers at Friday prayers in Tehran that possible UN sanctions on Iran would make the Islamic republic stronger than ever.
“Iran will never yield to international pressure to abandon its home-grown nuclear technology,” said Jannati, who heads Iran’s hard-line Guardian Council. “Americans should know that it is just impossible. You will take this wish to the grave,” he said.
The United States and some other countries accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear arms under cover of a civilian atomic program. Iran denies this, saying its ambitions are peaceful. “We have no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons,” he said.
