UNITED NATIONS — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad responded Wednesday to the sanctions passed at the UN Security Council meeting, saying
they were "worthless" and should only go into "the trash bin," in a report cited by Bloomberg News.
Iran's UN
Ambassador Mohammad Khazaee accused the United States, Britain and their
allies of abusing the Security Council to attack Iran.
RELATED:UNSC approves new Iran sanctionsGerman
nuke tech reaching Iran via Dubai"No
amount of pressure and mischief will be able to break our nation's
determination to pursue and defend its legal and inalienable rights,"
Khazaee said. "Iran is one of the most powerful and stable countries in
the region and never bowed — and will never bow — to the hostile actions
and pressures by these few powers and will continue to defend its
rights."
New sanctions against Iran over its suspect nuclear
program that target the country's powerful Revolutionary Guard,
ballistic missiles, and nuclear-related investments were approved by the
UN Security Council Wednesday.
The resolution
imposing a fourth round of sanctions against Iran was approved with 12
"yes" votes, two "no" votes from Brazil and Turkey, and one abstention
from Lebanon.
Turkey and Brazil
brokered a fuel-swap agreement with Iran
which they
hoped would address concerns Teheran may be enriching uranium for
nuclear
weapons and avoid new sanctions.
After the approval of the sanctions, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon spoke with
strident rhetoric on television channel CNN on the importance of the
outcome of the council's vote.
"This is a historic moment," said Ayalon. "History will judge the
countries by their votes, whether they pursued their own narrow and
cynical interests or voted for peace and [regional] stability."