IRAN: Ahmad Khatami refers to nation's accomplishments under sanctions in Friday prayers sermon

Hardliner cleric Ahmad Khatami discussed the threat of sanctions against Iran in his Friday (October 27) prayers sermon in Tehran. Iran has started enriching uranium in a second network of centrifuges, Iran's student news agency ISNA reported on Friday, expanding a programme which the West fears is intended to make atomic bombs. Uranium UF-6 gas is injected into cylindrical centrifuges which spin at supersonic speeds to produce enriched material. The centrifuges can be used for making fuel for power plants or material for atomic bombs. Iran, the world's fourth largest oil exporter, says the aim of its nuclear programme is to meet energy needs. But it has failed to convince world powers, who are threatening UN sanctions after Tehran failed to heed a UN demand to halt enrichment work. Iran now faces possible sanctions for failing to halt its enrichment work, as demanded by the UN Security Council. A draft sanctions resolution has been drawn up by European states, but Russia has expressed its misgivings about the proposal. "If they (the West) want to sanction Iran, as they have for the past 27 years - even during that period of time our capable and brave youth have reached nuclear achievements. So, if they want to hurt us, they will be harmed more," an influential Iranian cleric, Ahmad Khatami, told worshippers during Friday prayers. "The United Nations Security Council resolution is illogical, baseless and groundless. And it is not valuable for the free nations in the world," he added. Iran has shrugged off the threat of sanctions. The country's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, has threatened retaliation, possibly by halting UN inspections of Iranian facilities. Russia, the United States, Britain, France and China -- the five permanent council members -- plus Germany held their first meeting on Thursday on the draft resolution, which would ban Iranian trade in nuclear materials and ballistic missiles.

ITN Source | October 28, 2006

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