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Iran defiant in wake of stronger sanctions

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lashed out at the new sanctions imposed on his country by the UN Security Council, saying it will continue to pursue its uranium enrichment programme. "These resolutions are not worth a dime for the Iranian nation," said Ahmadinejad after the vote was unannounced. "The resolutions you issue are like a used hanky which should be thrown in the dust bin."

Reuters
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US President Barack Obama earlier said the "toughest-ever" measures "sent an unmistakable message about the international community's commitment to stopping the spread of nuclear weapons".

The resolution was adopted by 12 votes with both Brazil and Turkey voting against the sanctions and Lebanon abstaining.

Brazilian President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva said that the vote was a Pyrrhic victory and "weakened the UN Security Council".

China and Russia voted in favour of the sanctions, but only after the measures were watered down to protect their economic interests in Iran.

The sanctions began to have an immediate effect. Russia is freezing a contract to deliver S-300 air defence missiles to Tehran, according to Interfax news agency.

Iran's atomic energy chief Vice-President Ali Akbar Salehi spoke out against regular ally China's vote for the sanctions.

"China is gradually losing its respectable position in the Islamic world and by the time it wakes up, it will be too late," he said.

While China did vote for sanctions, it reaffirmed its ties with Tehran.

"China highly values relations with Iran and feels they are condicive to regional peace, stability and development," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang on Thursday.

Ahmadinejad is scheduled to arrive in Shanghai on Thursday for talks.

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