Speaking at a gathering in northern Iran Friday, Mr. Ahmadinejad said Iran "should not show weakness" over the nuclear standoff.
Thursday, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported to the Security Council that Iran has expanded its uranium enrichment activity. The report clears the way for possible further U.N. sanctions against Iran.
U.S. Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns says he will travel to London Monday for talks with representatives of the other permanent members of the Security Council (Britain, France, Russia and China).
Burns said a new resolution is needed since Iran is "effectively thumbing its nose at the international community."
On December 23, the Security Council set a 60-day deadline for Iran to end its enrichment work, and banned Iran's trade in sensitive nuclear and missile technology.
The White House voiced disappointment over Iran's failure to comply with the international demands. But Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, said his country would prefer not to impose new sanctions on Iran.
The IAEA report says Iran has installed two uranium enrichment networks at its underground nuclear plant in Natanz, but has not fed uranium into the system. Enriched uranium can be used as fuel for nuclear power, or at more highly enriched levels, to build nuclear weapons.
The United States and other major powers suspect Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies. - VOA News
Posted February 23rd, 2007 by Dinka
