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Special report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

TEHRAN, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Iran promised Tuesday that it would still maintain the current oil export to the world market though the UN Security Council decided last Saturday to sanction against Tehran's nuclear program, local Fars news agency reported.

Oil Minister Seyed Kazem Vaziri Hamaneh was quoted as saying that though Iran lived under sanctions, the world "should not be worried about the free flow and export of Iran's oil to the world markets because we are doing normal transactions as before and we will even embark on signing new contracts as well."

"They (global oil consumers) don't have to worry because theyare one of the two decision-making parties in such transactions and they can prevent adoption of irrelevant decisions," Hamaneh stressed, adding the UN decision would have no impact on Iran'soil industry and exports.

The top oil official, meanwhile, vowed that "when necessary, the country will use any kind of weapon to defend itself, the ruling system has decided not to give in to pressures and force, and as a part of this system the oil ministry will do everything possible to pursue the government's policies."

Iran is the second largest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the fourth largest oil producer in the world.

The UN Security Council on Saturday adopted unanimously the resolution 1737, demanding that Iran "suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, and work on all heavy water-related projects."

The resolution also called on all states to impose a ban on trade with Iran in goods related to its nuclear programs and ballistic missile delivery systems, while freezing the funds,other financial assets and economic resources owned or controlled by officials and companies in Iran's nuclear and missile programs.

Shortly after the adoption, the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement lashing out at the resolution as an "illegal measure."

Opinion: World waits for Iran

TEHRAN, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said on Monday that UN Security Council's sanctions on Iran's missile program are unimportant, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Ahmadinejad dismisses UN resolution as "trash paper"

TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday dismissed the newly-adopted UN Security Council resolution that imposes sanctions on Tehran as a piece of "trash paper," local Fars News Agency reported.

"Today they (the Western countries) just aim to scare the Iranian people with this piece of trash paper," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.

Iran's official: UN resolution "legally inapplicable"

TEHRAN, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian nuclear official has said that the UN Security Council resolution that imposes sanctions on Tehran is "legally inapplicable," the official IRNA news agency reported Monday.

The UN Security Council Resolution 1737 was adopted "upon the decision of certain countries and is legally inapplicable," said deputy chief of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Saeedi.

Iran to install 3,000 centrifuges

TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran says it will begin installing 3,000 centrifuges at a uranium enrichment plant as of Sunday in response to a U.N. Security Council resolution, the Kayhan newspaper said.

Iran threatens to change level of cooperation with IAEA

TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Sunday threatened to change the level of its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) after the UN Security Council passed a resolution that imposes sanctions on Tehran.

"It should not be expected that Iran will continue its work with the IAEA at the same level after the issuance of the illegal resolution," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini told his weekly press briefing.

UNSC unanimously passes resolution on Iran sanctions

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council voted unanimously on Saturday to pass a resolution imposing sanctions against Iran over its controversial nuclear activities.

The resolution, which followed weeks of negotiations, demanded that Iran "suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development," and "work on all heavy water-related projects."