Iran will 'quicken nuclear work if US threats continue'

Iran will 'quicken nuclear work if US threats continue'

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:24:41 GMT

Font size :   

Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani

Iran's Parliament Speaker says his country will 'speed up' its nuclear work if the Obama administration continues to threaten the country with a new round of sanctions.

"Even if US President Barack Obama dares to repeat threats of tougher sanction against us as much as ten times, we will still be determined to pursue our enrichment program, but with a much faster pace," said Ali Larijani on Thursday.

Only hours after Iran announced a decision to domestically produce higher-enriched uranium under the supervision of the UN nuclear watchdog, Obama warned that the US is preparing a “significant regime of sanctions” against the Tehran government.

The US president, who was speaking to reporters on Tuesday, went on to accuse Iran of spurning his offer of engagement in order to continue what he called Iran's nuclear weapons program. Larijani responded to the US allegations, warning that if continued, the threats will have heavy consequences in both Iran and the US. "Whenever we make a significant breakthrough, whether it is launching a satellite into space or any other technological or scientific achievement, they quickly demonize it and claim that it is aimed at military or spying purposes," said Larijani. "But their problem really lies with the fact that our status in the international scene is changing for the better," added the Iranian Parliament Speaker. "They can not bear to see our progress, which is why they want to keep us as an underdeveloped country." Larijani noted that Western superpowers have ceaselessly sought to sow discord among Iranians in order to "fish in troubled waters