Iran

"Neither resolutions of the board of governors nor those of the United Nations Security Council ... neither sanctions nor the threat of military attacks can interrupt peaceful nuclear activities in Iran, even a second," he told the closed-door meeting, in remarks made available to reporters. But major nations led by the U.S. supported the move and hinted that sanctions might be sought against Iran. "Today's overwhelming vote ... demonstrates the resolve and unity of the international community with regard to Iran's nuclear program," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said. "It underscores broad consensus in calling upon Iran to live up to its international obligations and offer transparency in its nuclear program."

Read more: U.N. agency censures Iran | In this article: International Atomic Energy Agency, United Nations Security Council, White House, Tehran, Robert Gibbs, and Vienna, Austria

"Today's overwhelming vote ... demonstrates the resolve and unity of the international community with regard to Iran's nuclear program," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said. "It underscores broad consensus in calling upon Iran to live up to its international obligations and offer transparency in its nuclear program." Mr. Gibbs said the vote "also underscores a commitment to strengthen the rules of the international system, and to support the ability of the IAEA and U.N. Security Council to enforce the rules of the road, and to hold Iran accountable to those rules."

Read more: U.N. agency censures Iran | In this article: International Atomic Energy Agency, United Nations Security Council, White House, Tehran, Robert Gibbs, and Vienna, Austria

"If Iran refuses to meet its obligations, then it will be responsible for its own growing isolation and the consequences," Gibbs said. Iran's representative to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, suggested Iran would stop some of its voluntary cooperation with the agency, according to a Friday report by the semi-official Fars news agency. "This resolution is a historic mistake by those who designed it,"

Read more: U.N. watchdog censures Iran | In this article: International Atomic Energy Agency, Uranium, Robert Gibbs, Washington, Islamic, Nuclear power, and U.N. Security Council

"The next stage will have to be sanctions if Iran doesn't respond to what is a very clear vote from the world community," said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs avoided mentioning sanctions - but indicated harsher measures were possible. "Our patience and that of the international community is limited, and time is running out,"

Read more: UN nuclear agency unites against Iran | In this article: UN, International Atomic Energy Agency, U.S., Uranium, Tehran, Robert Gibbs, UN Security Council, and Russia

"Do you have any doubt that this resolution is destructive?" said Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's envoy to the IAEA.

Read more: U.N. atomic panel censures Iran - Sat, 28 Nov 2009 PST | In this article: U.N., International Atomic Energy Agency, Barack Obama, Tehran, Russia, U.N. Security Council, U.S., and China

"If Iran refuses to meet its obligations, then it will be responsible for its own growing isolation and the consequences," Gibbs said.

Read more: U.N. atomic panel censures Iran - Sat, 28 Nov 2009 PST | In this article: U.N., International Atomic Energy Agency, Barack Obama, Tehran, Russia, U.N. Security Council, U.S., and China

"The next stage will have to be sanctions if Iran doesn't respond to what is a very clear vote from the world community," British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said the resolution's passage shows that "the international community still wants dialogue with Iran, but time is pressing."

Read more: Diplomats: Iran censured at UN nuclear meeting | In this article: International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Tehran, U.N., Uranium, United Nations Security Council, Glyn Davies, Mohamed ElBaradei, and Moscow

"Lula is not crazy; he wouldn't sign any accords with Iran on nuclear issues, not even for peaceful means," said Camargo. "It's not viable politically. But we have plants that can enrich uranium for peaceful means and we think that Iran should have that same right."

Read more: Brazil's President Lula Welcomes Iran, Irks U.S. | In this article: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Brazil, United States, and Uranium

Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's Vienna ambassador, said: "Adoption of this resolution is not only unhelpful in improving the current situation but will jeopardise the conducive environment."

Read more: Nuclear watchdog condemns Iran over secret site | In this article: International Atomic Energy Agency, Security Council, Vienna, United Nations, Qom, Nuclear power, Daily Telegraph, and US State Department

"Such behaviors are [in] vain," he said. Iran's envoy to the Vienna-based U.N. agency accused Western powers of having a "hidden agenda" in promoting the censure, which followed strong words a day earlier by the outgoing atomic energy agency chief, Mohamed ElBaradei, who said Iran had not met its international legal obligations. "Do you have any doubt that this resolution is destructive?" said Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's envoy to the IAEA. "It is not helpful. It destroyed the existing conducive environment."

Read more: Russia, China join in rebuke of Iran | In this article: International Atomic Energy Agency, Tehran, Uranium, Glyn Davies, Qom, United States, United Nations, Russia, and China