A defiant Iranian president has condemned the UNSecurity Council as lacking any legitimacy as the body prepares a secondpackage of sanctions over Tehran'sdisputed nuclear programme.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted by the official IRNA newsagency as saying on Thursday that Iran would not shelve its nuclearprogrammes. 

He also said that a Security Council resolution couldnot stop the Islamic state from obtaining nuclear technology.

 "Today the enemies of the Iranian people are seeking touse the Security Council to prevent the progress and development of Iran,"Ahmadinejad said.

"But the Security Council has no legitimacy among thepeoples of the world," he told a rally in the central Yazdprovince. 

The punitive measures under discussion by the five permanentSecurity Council members, Britain, China, France, Russia and the  UnitedStates  plus Germany, involve an arms embargo as well as  somefinancial and trade restrictions that build on the first sanctions imposedin December.

"What is the aim of issuing such resolutions? Today weare mastering the nuclear fuel cycle completely," Ahmadinejad said.

"If all of you (Westerners) get together and call yourancestors from hell as well, you will not be able to stop the Iranian nation."

Western nations suspect Iran'snuclear programme is a cover for efforts to make atomic weapons, a charge Tehrandenies. Washingtonsays it wants a diplomatic solution, but has not ruled out military action.

Diplomats at the United Nations representing the United States,Britain,France,Germany,Russiaand Chinahave reached a tentative deal on imposing sanctions on Iranthey hope to introduce to the Security Council on Thursday, providing theirgovernments agree.

The measure, which may be adopted next week, would penalise Tehranfor refusing to suspend uranium enrichment, which can be used in nuclear bombsor in civilian power stations.

Ahmadinejad said imposing sanctions on Iranwould have the opposite result.

"You sanctioned us in the past but we obtained thenuclear technology. Impose economic sanctions on us today and see what would beour next step," Ahmadinejad said.

Source:Agencies