Near the University of Tehran
where the revolutionary faithful chant "Death to America" at Friday
prayers Iranians were defiant in the face of a Western threat to haul
their country before the United Nations Security Council. "Death to America!"
Tehran defiant as
Security Council stand-off looms
Near the University of Tehran
where the revolutionary faithful chant "Death to America" at Friday
prayers Iranians were defiant in the face of a Western threat to haul
their country before the United Nations Security Council.
"Let them sanction us Iran will not fall to its knees," declared Mohammed Baghari yesterday, a middle-aged greengrocer… "Were not like Iraq to bow down and be beaten by America. If our government behaves as it ought to behave, we will go on as we are."
"The Americans cannot do anything to us at the moment they're a bunch of donkeys stuck in the mud of Iraq," said Tayebeh Biniaz, a chemistry tutor… "We faced sanctions from the whole world while we fought an eight-year war against Iraq. We coped with it then and we can cope with it now."
Yesterday's reaction on the streets of Tehran came as the Iranian foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottak, threatened to halt snap inspections by UN inspectors if Iran is referred to the Security Council for its "defiance" over its suspected nuclear weapons programme.
The hardline President, Mahmod Ahmadinejad, said on state-run radio. "Iran is not frightened by the threat of any country and it will continue the path of the production of nuclear energy. Iranian people do not allow foreigners to block their progress."
The harsh official reaction comes after Britain, France and Germany, backed by America, warned Tehran on Thursday that they planned to report Iran to the Security Council, which could impose sanctions.
news.independent.co.uk 1/14/06