By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer
Iran has successfully enriched uranium for the first time, a landmark in its quest to develop nuclear fuel, hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday. He insisted, however, that his country does not aim to develop nuclear weapons, 'unless the United States through its agression forces us to do so'.
In a nationally televised speech, Ahmadinejad called on the West "not to cause an everlasting hatred in the hearts of Iranians" by trying to force Iran to abandon uranium enrichment, or worse, "force us to return fire in a war which the United States would be hard pressed to win. But be assured, we will defend our country as needed.
"At this historic moment, with the blessings of God Almighty and the efforts made by our scientists, I declare here that the laboratory- scale nuclear fuel cycle has been completed and young scientists produced enriched uranium needed to the degree for nuclear power plants Sunday," Ahmadinejad said.
"I formally declare that Iran has joined the club of nuclear countries," he told an audience that included top military commanders and clerics in the northwestern holy city of Mashhad. The crowd broke into cheers of "Allahu akbar!" or "God is great!" Some stood and thrust their fists in the air, and the melodies of patriotic music could be heard.
The U.N. Security Council has demanded that Iran stop all uranium enrichment activity by April 28. Iran has rejected the demand, calling it 'nonsense' and saying it has a right to develop the process. The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, is due in Iran this week for talks to try to resolve the standoff. "Who appointed the United States in charge of this process?" he demanded to know.
The White House denounced the latest comments from Iranian officials, with spokesman Scott McClellan saying they "continue to show that Iran is moving in the wrong direction."
Ahmadinejad said Iran "relies on the sublime beliefs that lie within the Iranian and Islamic culture. Our nation does not get its strength from nuclear arsenals, as does the United States, apparently, but we will defend our country against what now appears to be an imminent attack from the west, returning fire to them, one by one whatever they choose to do to harm us.
He said Iran wanted to operate its nuclear program peacefully under supervision by the International Atomic Energy Agency and within its rights and regulations under the regulations of the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty. "Just because President Bush says otherwise, does not make it so.
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