The Islamic Republic will produce a severe reaction to European countries' unilateral sanctions, Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi said, Press Tv reported with reference to Mehr News Agency.
"Certain countries resort to sanctions in order to stop Iran's progress. We will pursue the same approach and will give response to their small action with the biggest reaction," Rahimi told.
He added that topics pertaining to nuclear weapons in Iran are merely pretexts to prevent the country from making scientific progress and stated, "Iran does not need nuclear weapons at all. It uses (nuclear) technology only for scientific advancement."
Rahimi noted that in response to unilateral measures against Tehran, the Islamic Republic imposed sanctions on certain American countries.
On May 29, spokesmen for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament Kazem Jalali said that the Parliament released a full list of 26 US officials wanted by Tehran for various crimes ranging from rights violations to acts of terror to involvement in drug trafficking.
The Iranian lawmaker added that the motion to impose sanctions on and prosecute certain American officials was unanimously adopted.
The vice president further said that Iran is currently ready to export one billion liters of gasoline although Western states imposed gasoline sanctions on the country.
On June 9, 2010, the UN Security Council approved a resolution imposing a fourth round of sanctions on Iran, particularly targeting its energy and financial sectors over unverified allegations that the country is pursuing a clandestine nuclear weapons program.
Shortly after the UN sanctions, the US imposed fresh unilateral sanctions against Iran's financial and energy sectors, and then pressured Japan, Canada, and Australia to impose similar sanctions on Tehran.
Iran says that as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it has a right to pursue and utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, including electricity generation and medical research.