Supreme Leader: Iran overcomes hegemons in insistence on nuclear rights

Iran has successfully managed to withstand the pressure exerted on the country by the hegemons over its nuclear program, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said, Tehran Times reported.

"The hegemonistic powers exploited their full political, propaganda, and economic potential and made efforts to dissuade the Islamic Republic of Iran from pursuing its (nuclear) issue through creating a brouhaha as well as imposing pressure and sanctions (on the country)," the Leader stated at a meeting with a number of military officials in Tehran.

"However, after eight years, Iran has now overcome all the pressure applied by the arrogant powers and has thwarted all their attempts. It has made great progress in the nuclear area and has proved that it is stronger than the major world powers when it comes to the war of wills," he added.

In a 32-year struggle with the forces of imperialism, the Islamic Republic of Iran not only did not yield to the domineering powers, but also made progress, the Leader said.

On the other hand, the U.S. and its allies have suffered defeat over the past years and are in decline, he added.

The Leader also said that the Islamic Republic’s resistance against the pressure exerted by the bullying powers has turned it into a role model for regional nations.

"Almost all the world’s analysts maintain that the current movements in the Middle and North Africa have been inspired by the revolution of the Iranian nation," he noted.

"Further regional developments are on the way," the Leader predicted.

He also stated that Iran plays an influential role in regional and international developments, particularly those related to Palestine.

Iranian nuclear program has caused concern since 2003, when the IAEA became aware of its concealed activity. In late 2003, Iran signed the Additional Protocol to the NPT and voluntarily announced about the suspension of uranium enrichment. However, it returned to this activity. Iran insists that as a party to the NPT it has the full right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

So far, the UN Security Council adopted six resolutions, four of which are aimed at imposing sanctions against Iran, demanding to abandon uranium enrichment, and two resolutions containing warnings.

The enriched uranium can be used to produce nuclear weapons. However, it is necessary as fuel for atomic power plants. Several countries, including the U.S., are sure that Iran strives to develop nuclear weapons and call for to prevent this development.


/Trend/