Special Report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

 

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (C) waves to supporters as he leaves after a speech in Bushehr, 1200 km (720 miles), south of Tehran Jan. 30, 2008.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    TEHRAN, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday repeated his defiance towards Western powers which were pushing new sanctions against Iran's nuclear program, saying Tehran would not back down from its rights, state television reported.

    Ahmadinejad made the remarks to large crowds at Iran's southern port city of Bushehr, where the country's first nuclear power plant was being built with the assistance of Russia.

    "You (Western countries) are making mistakes if you think Iranian people will back down ... the people will not retreat one inch over their rights," Ahmadinejad said in a live broadcasted speech.

    "We are moving towards the peak over the nuclear road... and the nuclear issue is finishing in our favor because of the God's help and people's resistance," he added.

    Western countries have alleged that Iran was using the cover of a civilian nuclear program to develop nuclear weapons, which was repeatedly denied by Tehran.

    The UN Security Council has adopted two resolutions -- one in December 2006 and the other in March of 2007 -- to force Iran to suspend uranium enrichment activities and to give up its nuclear programs. However, the resolutions were called "useless paper" by Iranian officials.

    World powers last week have agreed the outline of the third sanction resolution against Iran and the Security Council has held discussions on it Monday.

    Iran has downplayed the effect of possible new sanctions, saying Tehran would show a "serious and logical reaction" if the Security Council issued a third resolution.

Iran denounces Bush's new accusations against Tehran

    TEHRAN, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Tuesday brushed off the new warnings from U.S. President George W. Bush, saying his words were nothing new, the official IRNA news agency reported. Full story

Bush says U.S. will confront Iran if necessary

    WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush warned in his final State of the Union address on Monday night that the United States will confront Iran if necessary to defend its interests in the Gulf. Full story

Bush urges Iran to suspend uranium enrichment

    WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush, in his last State of the Union address on Monday night, will urge Iran to verifiably suspend its uranium enrichment in order to have negotiations with the international community. Full story

Proposed measures on Iran include travel curbs, asset freezes, more talks

    UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Iran could face travel restrictions and bans on some of its citizens and an expansion of asset freezes imposed under two previous UN Security Council resolutions, according to "elements for a third sanctions resolution" made available Friday. Full story

Six-nation talks agree on major points of U.N. resolution on Iran nuke issue

    BERLIN, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Foreign Ministers from the United States, Germany, China, France, Britain and Russia have agreed on the major points of a U.N. resolution on the Iran nuclear issue, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said here on Tuesday. Full story