Iran makes niche in N-powerful countries' list

New Delhi, Dec 29: As Iran has achieved nuclear know-how for energy purposes, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared that Iran is now a nuclear country.

The United States and its allies have been exerting political pressure and have issued resolutions against Iran over its nuclear program, however, all their efforts have failed and Iran has now become a nuclear country, Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by the local satellite Press TV.

Addressing a crowd in the northern city of Karaj on Tuesday, Dec 28, the Iranian president said that cooperation rather than confrontation is the only way to resolve Iran's nuclear energy program, according to the report.

"We are open to cooperation based on our rights," Xinhua quoted Ahmadinejad, as saying.

He warned Western countries that Iran would give a regretting response to anyone who "intends to prevent Iran from achieving its rights," according to Press TV.

Ahmadinejad dismissed the sanction resolutions passed by the United Nations against Iran as illegal, and added that sanctions would only "strengthen the Iranian nation and accelerate the pace of our progress."

ANI