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Iran's Khamenei rejects nuclear demands

Iranian men stand in front of a poster of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as they commemorate the anniversary of his death in Tehran yesterday. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech marking the anniversary that the Islamic republic must not give up its ``scientific goals'' in the face of ``threats and bribes.'' PHOTO AFP

Iran's supreme leader yesterday rejected international demands that his country suspend sensitive nuclear work, vowing the Islamic republic would not buckle in the face of "threats and bribes."

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also warned the US that any "mistake" in its dealings with Iran would lead to consequences for energy supplies.

"We have achieved a lot of scientific goals," Khamenei said in a speech marking the 17th anniversary of the death of Iran's Islamic revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

"This is a historic investment. It represents our political independence and national self confidence. We should not sell out this precious resource because of the enemies' threats and we should not be fooled by enemy bribes," he said.

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany on Thursday agreed to present Tehran with a package of incentives and the prospect of new talks on the condition that Iran first suspends uranium enrichment.

That activity is at the center of fears the country could make nuclear weapons. Iran insists it only wants to make reactor fuel and not bombs.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana is expected in Tehran soon to present the proposals, and Iran has been given just weeks to make up its mind -- or else face robust Security Council action.

But Khamenei added to indications that the offer could end up being dead on arrival, and he shrugged off any threat of Iran suffering if it turned down the offer.

"You threaten Iran. You say you want to direct energy in the region. If you make a single mistake about Iran, the supply of energy will definitely be put in serious risk," Khamenei said of the US.

"There is no consensus against Iran. It is only the Americans and some of their allies," he said. "This is all about a political monopoly of energy. They want others to beg for energy."

Speaking at Khomeini's mausoleum on the southern outskirts of Tehran, Khamenei insisted that "Iran is no threat to anyone."

"We have friendly relations with all the region and Asia. We have good and healthy relations with Europe, and in the close future, because they need our gas, these relations will become even better," Khamenei said.

"They accuse us of developing nuclear bombs. This is an absurd lie. We do not need nuclear weapons and bombs. We don't have any target to use them on. Using nuclear weapons is against Islamic rules," he said.

"We will not impose the costs of building and maintenance of nuclear weapons on our people. Our explosive source is the power of our faith," Khamenei said.
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