Iranian President MahmoudAhmadinejad formally asked Friday, March 16, to address the UN Security Councilon a new draft resolution imposing wider sanctions against
"Should the American government issue a visa, Iwill definitely participate in the Security Council meeting and defend
South African UN Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo, councilpresident for March, said he had received a letter from his Iraniancounterpart, Javad Zarif, requesting the council visit by Ahmadinejad.
Under the provisions of the UN Charter, a countrythat is not a member of the council is entitled to attend council deliberationsthat directly concern it and to speak, but without the right to vote.
"I don't regard a probable consensus among the5+1 as an obstacle to my trip and I insist on my presence at the SecurityCouncil," Ahmadinejad said.
Six major world powers on Thursday, March 15, agreedon a package of new UN sanctions against
The new sanctions resolution was submitted to theSecurity Council's 10 non-permanent members ahead of a vote expected next week.
It would bar
It calls for a travel ban on additional officialsand companies involved in
It also urges restrictions on "new commitmentsfor grants, financial assistance and concessional loans to
In December, a UN resolution barred the transfer oftechnology and sensitive nuclear materials to
The new resolution would give
The
Award-winning American investigative reporterSeymour Hersh has revealed that the Pentagon recently formed a special group toplan an attack against
Moving Speedily
Ahmadinejad vowed that
"The Iranian nation possesses the nuclear fuelcycle and will not go back on that," he said.
"Don't think you can block the Iranian nation'spathway with these sittings and meetings? The Iranian nation is moving speedilyon the path to progress, and the enemies' pressures and threats do not affectthe nation's will."
As a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,
International nuclear expert Hans Blix has said thatthe West's neo-colonial approach in dealing with
A report by the Oxford Research Group think tankwarned on March 5 that a military action against
Source: Agencies