Iran has dismissed Britain's defence secretary's recent remarks about
Tehran's nuclear programme and justification of western sanctions on it,
Xinhua reported.
Iranian Defence Minister Brigadier General
Ahmad Vahidi Tuesday dismissed British defence secretary Philip
Hammond's remarks that the Western sanctions over Iran's nuclear
programme "were necessary to pressure Iran to end its nuclear
activities," claiming that Tehran's "mad scheme to build a bomb has to
be brought to an end".
Hammond made the comments while talking to a British daily Sunday.
"We can definitely make the pain [resulting from sanctions against the Iranian people] much greater," he added.
The
Iranian minister asked: "Are the British government's measures, which
possesses over 200 strategic nuclear warheads ... ranks the third in the
world in terms of nuclear weapon tests, and produces 3.2 million cubic
metres of nuclear waste 'mad', or Iran's peaceful nuclear activities?"
Vahidi noted that the British defence secretary's "mad" remarks have
disclosed his true intention proving that their allegations against
Iran's nuclear programme are anything but excuses and they only mean to
inflict pain and suffering on the Iranian nation.
West accuses
Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the cover of civilian nuclear
programme. Iran rejects the claims and insists on its "peaceful" nature.
