Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday voiced his determination to address a UN Security Council meeting to defend his country's disputed nuclear program.

 

"In case the US administration issues my entry visa, I will definitely attend the UN Security Council meeting to defend Iran's nuclear rights," he told the Iranian Fars News Agency after a visit to Iran's central province of Yazd.

 

"I do not view any probable consensus among the member states of the group 5+1 as a deterrent to this trip and I do stress the need for my presence at the UN Security Council meeting," Ahmadinejad said.

 

The "5+1" refers to the five permanent UN Security Council members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the US -- plus Germany, which on Thursday reached agreement on a draft council resolution imposing tougher sanctions against Tehran on its unyielding nuclear ambitions.

 

Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo of South Africa, president of the UN Security Council for March, said Thursday the council has received a letter from Iranian Ambassador Javad Zarif that Ahmadinejad "wishes to attend and address the Security Council meeting in which actions might be taken about a draft resolution about Iran's peaceful nuclear program."

 

US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Friday that Washington has approved visa request of Ahmadinejad before and will do so again, consistent with its obligations as host country for the United Nations.

 

"We are going to do everything that we can in accordance with our (UN) host country responsibilities to expedite the issuing of any such visas," McCormack said.

 

The Iranian leader is expected to address the UN Security Council when it votes on a new draft resolution against Iran next week.

 

The US granted the Iranian leader a visa last year so that he could attend the UN General Assembly in New York last September.

 

The US has accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under civilian cover, a charge always denied by Tehran.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 17, 2007)