"They favour compromise and repeat the slogans of the enemies, but this will have no effect," he added.

While political factions and the press remain strongly in favour of Iran's right to a nuclear programme, criticism has mounted in recent weeks even among conservatives over the president's fiery handling of the issue.

Two conservative newspapers, Jomhuri Eslami and Hamshahri, published editorials lambasting Ahmadinejad for commenting on the nuclear issue during speeches in provincial towns.

The president has also been the subject of criticism by conservative MPs for his government's handling of the economy and the timing of a recent trip to Latin America.

Ahmadinejad also said on Thursday the UN Security Council's decision to impose sanctions would not stop Tehran pressing ahead with its nuclear programme, saying Iran had now become a "nuclear" country.

"Today, Iran has become nuclear and the actions and the propaganda of the enemies will not affect the determination of the people," he said.

"The question of sanctions is something that goes back 30 years. The (sanctions) resolution, which aims to stop the Iranian nuclear programme, has the objective of weakening the will of the people but they will not succeed."

"Thanks to God, we have conquered even more difficult summits and we are ready to face all eventualities."

The UN Security Council's sanctions were imposed over Iran's failure to suspend uranium enrichment, which Western powers fear could be used to make a nuclear weapon.

Iran insists that its nuclear drive is solely aimed at generating energy for a growing population.

earlier related report
Iran angered by new UN chief's nuclear talk
Tehran (AFP) Jan 18 - Iran on Thursday condemned remarks by the UN's new Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that its nuclear ambitions posed a threat to international security. "The remarks by Ban Ki-moon are contrary to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which emphasises the right of nations to use nuclear energy for peaceful ends," said foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini.

"We think that the positions and attitudes of the secretary general should be in line with the United Nations charter," Hosseini added, according to the ISNA news agency.

Hosseini told the new secretary general, who succeeded Kofi Annan at the start of this year, to concentrate instead on the "serious dangers and threats to world peace represented by Israel's nuclear arsenal".

Ban said he and US President George W. Bush agreed earlier this week that Iran's nuclear programme was "one of the serious issues which threaten peace and security of the world".

He also said Iran's sensitive uranium enrichment "has very serious and wide implications for not only the Middle East but also all around the world".

The UN Security Council in December imposed its first ever sanctions against Iran over its failure to suspend uranium enrichment, which Western powers fear could be used to make a nuclear weapon.

However Iran insists that its nuclear drive is solely aimed at generating energy for a growing population.

Ban rejected any preemptive military action on Iran by states that felt threatened by Tehran's nuclear activities, saying it "should be discussed" at the Security Council.

Annan himself visited Tehran in September last year for talks with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Iranian nuclear programme, but failed to obtain any concessions from the Islamic republic.

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