President defiant as Iran faces new sanctions

Tehran, Mar 14: Iran's president today voiced defiance asworld powers hoped to put the finishing touches on a draft textimposing new sanctions against the Islamic Republic, saying the countrywould not surrender.

''You all sit together and exchange papers,'' President MahmoudAhmadinejad said in a speech at a rally in Yazd province in centralIran, broadcast live on state television.

''But you are wrong. You are isolating yourselves,'' he said.

''If you think ... you can make the Iranian nation surrender, youare wrong.'' Six major powers -- the United States, Britain, France,Germany, Russia and China -- are considering toughening sanctionsagainst Iran for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment, which can beused in a bomb or for peaceful ends.

No date for a vote on proposed new sanctions has been set, butenvoys at the United Nations Security Council hope it could take placeat the weekend.

The world's fourth largest oil exporter insists it wants only to generate electricity.

Ahmadinejad made clear Iran would not halt enrichment.

''The Iranian nation will completely defend all of its rights,'' he said.

Reuters

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