Iran's president said on Wednesday his country would press on with its nuclear program "until the end" and would not be stopped by the West, which fears the Islamic Republic is trying to build atomic bombs.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was speaking a day after the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in a report Iran was still stonewalling probes aimed at determining whether its plans are peaceful.
"The Iranian nation stands for its nuclear right and will go ahead until the end," Ahmadinejad said in a speech to a rally in western Iran, broadcast live on state television.
"Time is on the Iranian nation's side. With each passing day, (the West) must retreat one step and acknowledge the rights of the Iranian nation and with each passing day the Iranian nation goes ahead toward the summits of victory," he said.
"By the grace of God, we will hold a great nuclear celebration before the end of this year, all over Iran," he said, without elaborating. The Iranian year ends in March 2007.
Iran, which says its nuclear program is solely for power generation, faces possible sanctions for failing to heed U.N. demands to stop enriching uranium, a process that can yield fuel for power plants or, ultimately, for atomic bombs.
Ahmadinejad told a news conference on Tuesday Iran was aiming to build 60,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium. Iran now operates two experimental chains of 164 centrifuges each.
Reuters
11.16.2006
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