Top aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader rejects UN decree

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Jan. 02 – A top aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Tehran would continue its nuclear activities in defiance of a resolution by the United Nations Security Council imposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic for its failure to suspend uranium enrichment. Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Jan. 02 – A top aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Tehran would continue its nuclear activities in defiance of a resolution by the United Nations Security Council imposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic for its failure to suspend uranium enrichment.

“The adoption of the resolution against Iran by the Security Council was not unexpected”, Ali-Akbar Velayati said. His comments appeared in the semi-official daily Kayhan on Monday.

“What is important is that the fate of the Islamic Republic’s peaceful nuclear technology is domestic and is not dependent on whether others adopt resolutions or not”, Velayati said.

“Undoubtedly, the resolution will have no effect on Iran’s nuclear advancements”, he said. “Not only will this resolution not cause Iran to halt further nuclear work and research but will also make the Iranian nation and government more resolute”.

Velayati, a former Iranian Foreign Minister, is currently international affairs adviser to Supreme Leader Khamenei.

On December 23, the Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1737 to slap sanctions on Tehran. It ordered Iran to suspend all uranium enrichment activities.