Militant Islam Monitor > Satire > Khameni claims Iran seeking nuclear power for "peaceful purposes" as thousands shout "Death to America"
Khameni claims Iran seeking nuclear power for "peaceful purposes" as thousands shout "Death to America"
October 23, 2005
Khamenei says United States seeking to dominate the world
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2005\10\22\story_22-10-2005_pg4_15
* Iran's supreme leader says Tehran will not yield to US nuclear pressure
TEHRAN: Iran's supreme leader accused the United States on Friday of seeking global domination and vowed that his country would not give into demands it abandon its disputed nuclear programme.
"Our main opponent in the nuclear issue is the American government," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a Friday prayer sermon to thousands of worshippers at Tehran University.
Iran will stand firm against US "bullying" over its nuclear programme but will never use atomic technology to make bombs, the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said.
"This nation is not a nation that would succumb to the impositions and bullying of the US or any other."
"The Americans claim Iran is seeking nuclear weapons. We know they are lying and the audience know they are lying too. This hardline war-seeking government in the United States is seeking an empire and world domination."
Khamenei said the United States "will not stop in the Middle East."
"Its European partners know that when the United States dominates the Middle East and Asia, it won't leave Europe alone."
Khamenei told worshippers in a Friday prayers sermon at Tehran University.
"The US politicians who claim Iran seeks nuclear weapons know very well that they are lying ... their purpose is to earn dominance. Human rights is of no value to them," he said to shouts of "God is Greatest" and "Death to America" from the thousands of people packed in and around the university.
Last month the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned Iran it faced being hauled before the UN Security Council if it persisted with its uranium enrichment activities in violation of an agreement with Britain, France and Germany.
Iran denies charges it is seeking weapons, and argues that making nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes is a "right" it should enjoy as a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
"Our ambitions have nothing to do with nuclear weapons. The Iranian nation will not give up this technology," Khamenei said of Iran's fuel cycle work - which could potentially be diverted to weapons manufacture.
"The Iranian nation has a right and will demand that. The Iranian nation will not have anything imposed on it by the United States or any other country," he added, dismissing Western demands as "absurd".
The so-called EU-3 has called for Iran to abandon enrichment-related work in return for a package of trade and other incentives. Iran has ruled out making such a deal. agencies
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