TEHRAN, Aug. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Chairman of Iran's Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Friday slammed a resolution approved by the UN nuclear watchdog on the Iranian nuclear issue as "tyrannical", the official IRNA news agency reported.

    "The agency has adopted such a tyrannical decision against Iran. The big powers are falsely thinking that through such a tyrannical move Iran will go backward," Rafsanjani was quoted as saying during the Friday prayers in Tehran at which he served as the substitute leader.

    The resolution, approved by Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday, voices " serious concern" over Iran's recent resumption of uranium conversion activities and urges Iran to "re-establish full suspension of all enrichment-related activities."

    Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi rejected the resolution as politically motivated soon after its adoption.

    Rafsanjani criticized the IAEA Board of Governors for letting Iran down.

    "It's highly surprising and amazing that some countries initially supported us, but then nobody opposed the agreement which embodies what the three European states (of Britain, France and Germany) and the United States wanted," Rafsanjani said.

    Meanwhile, A group of Tehran Friday Prayers worshipers issued a statement condemning the IAEA resolution and voiced their support to the government's decision of rejecting.

    "We strongly condemn the IAEA for its discriminatory behavior with regards to Article Four of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which calls for supporting peaceful nuclear activities of countries, while stopping and destroying nuclear weapons," the statement said.

    Iran resumed some activities of the uranium conversion in the central city of Isfahan on Monday and further unsealed and fully started the facilities on Wednesday regardless of the warnings of the European Union and the United States.

    Tehran has also rejected a comprehensive nuclear proposal presented by the European trio on Aug. 5, which demanded Iran to permanently halt the uranium enrichment activities it suspended in November 2004.

    The United States has accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the disguise of civil usage. But Tehran has rejected the accusation and insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Enditem