(IRNA) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Sunday that different forms of pressure and threats against Iran's peaceful nuclear activities would in no way diminish the Iranian nation's determination to continue in the path it has chosen.
President Ahmadinejad was speaking at an Iftar (fast breaking) dinner held by members of the Islamic Society of Engineers and followers of the Path of Imam Khomeini and the Supreme Leader, reports Trend.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran is carrying out its nuclear activities in accordance with its rights and obligations under international law, rules and regulations and treaties.
"The Iranian nation will not be intimidated and will stay in its chosen path," he said.
Pointing to the various conspiracies hatched by the enemies to put pressure on the Iranian nation and prevent it realizing its legal rights, he reminded that Iran has always been in favor of negotiations to solve the nuclear dispute and has stood by its principled stance during talks held in the past few years.
"Iran gave its response to the package of incentives proposed by the West asserting its principled stance but certain bullying powers, intent on fulfilling their own goals and having their cruel demands met, attacked Lebanon and occupied the country and also passed a resolution against Iran at the United Nations Security Council."
The president blasted the insistence of certain Western states that Iran suspend uranium enrichment even for a brief period, saying this was "illegal."
He added that if the West succeeded in imposing one illegal and unenforceable demand on the Iranian nation, the door would be opened for other pressures or arbitrary demands to be imposed on it.
The enemies would then be able to boast through their media that Iran has succumbed to their demands, he said.
Referring to Iran's referral to the UN Security Council and the possibility sanctions would be imposed on the country, the president reminded that the Iranian nation's resistance for almost three decades has resulted in loss of prestige for bullying powers and another anti-Iran resolution at the Security Council would hardly change its situation.
"Certain Western states have turned the Security Council into a tool to realize their bullying goals. They use the Council to pass resolutions or put pressure on countries which are opposed to their goals," he said.
"With the grace of God, Western states will not succeed in their goals against the Iranian nation and the Iranian people will continue powerfully in the path they have chosen and thereby reach peaks of honor and progress."
The president then stressed the importance of development, saying the country should progress towards unity, convergence and cooperation, and urged development of the Islamic Republic of Iran into a state that would be an example for other states.
"The world is on threshold of great developments. Equations are changing at a high speed. World nations thirst for new governance and lifestyles because they have seen the emptiness of material societies and governments.
"Iran, as a religious government which functions on the teachings of divine prophets, shoulders a very heavy responsibility of standing as a model society for others to follow," the president said.
Ahmadinejad also highlighted the significance of implementing justice and creating equal opportunities for all sectors of society, and called on the people to reinforce their unity and contribute to building of the country by relying on God.