"Sanctions by European countries and the West won't have any effect on our decision," he was quoted as saying by the IRNA agency.

"As long as we resist it is a victory. It is a very simple formula," the president added.

The five UN Security Council permanent members, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany, are expected to begin discussing this week a resolution imposing sanctions on Tehran if it does not halt its nuclear program.

Ahmadinejad brushed off the sanctions threat as the latest in nearly three decades of intimidation.

"For 27 years (the West) has done everything it could against us and this is nothing new," he said.

Tehran insists its nuclear program is solely for peaceful energy needs, vehemently rejecting allegations that it is seeking nuclear weapons.

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