President Ahmadinejad: Iran will not retreat even an iota

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has reiterated that the Islamic Republic will not retreat an iota from its rights under pressure or sanctions.

“Today, we see that there are some around the world who raise hue and cry, put pressure and ratify resolutions one after another [against Iran]. All these attempts are aimed at impeding the Iranian nation’s progress and undermining its dignity,” Ahmadinejad said in the northeastern city of Torbat-e Jam on Thursday.

“They should know that this nation will not retreat even an iota from its inalienable rights,” the president added, recommending Western powers to treat nations according to international law, justice, friendship and respect.

The Iranian chief executive also emphasized that the era of bullying has come to an end, noting that “it is to the benefit of the ill-wishers of the Iranian people to return to justice, and they should know that this nation has made all its enemies regret throughout history.”

His comments come against a backdrop of Western-led allegations and sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear energy program. The US, Israel and some of their allies accuse Iran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear activities.

The US and EU have recently imposed tough financial and oil sanctions against Iran in a bid to pile up pressure on the country.

Iran has repeatedly dismissed allegations over its nuclear energy activities, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.