Khamenei says Iran will pursue its Nuclear Rights
By Laiylla Sherazi 'Pakistan Times' Foreign Correspondent

TEHRAN (Iran): Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Monday that Iran would not refrain from its right to use nuclear technology, shrugging off a UN resolution against its controversial atomic plans.

"The Iranian nation undoubtedly will not refrain from their right (to nuclear energy) and the country's officials do not have the right to refrain from the nation's right," Khamanei said in a speech on state television.

On December 23, the United Nations Security Council imposed its first ever sanctions on Iran over Tehran's failure to heed calls to suspend uranium enrichment, a process that can be used both to make nuclear fuel or a nuclear bomb.

Iran vehemently denies charges that it is seeking nuclear weapons, insisting that it wants to enrich uranium only for peaceful energy ends.

In his speech Khamenei also warned against what he called a US-UK-Arab alliance against Iran. "If the Americans, British and one or more Arab countries sit down and discuss Iran's nuclear energy to see whether not to allow it or approve it or relieve Israel's concerns in this regard, this would be a political mistake" by Islamic governments, he said.

"Islamic countries' statesmen, especially those in the region, should know that Islam's glory and the Islamic republic's power is a support for them," Khamenei said.

"The occupying Zionist regime always blackmails the United States, and in return it blackmails some Arab governments. If these governments rely on a great power they will never have to be blackmailed."

He warned Arab nations to beware falling into a trap. "This alliance, with the cooperation of two dirty and sinister governments, is against a nation that Islam is proud of -- a nation that has sacrificed a lot. Therefore Arab countries must be careful about this dangerous trap."●