Brussels, 03/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 2 October, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that his country will not back down on its nuclear programme despite the West's pressure. “While some think that they can put pressure on Iran, they are mistaken and must correct their attitude. We are not a people who will retreat on the nuclear issue”, he said in a press conference broadcast on state television. “There is psychological warfare going on (…) Everyone must help the government. The sanctions target the people”, he said, adding that the West “is lying when it says that the sanctions are pressure against the government”.
He denounced the “economic war” that Western countries are waging on Tehran. “The enemy has imposed sanctions (…) against the sales of oil. A large part of currency comes from oil. And worse, there are sanctions against bank exchanges, so that if we sell oil we cannot repatriate the money. It's a hidden and heavy war on the level of the planet”, he said. He added that the central bank is trying to find ways to get around the sanctions, and went on that it is “a battle” (our translation throughout). He also acknowledged the drop in oil sales. (CG/transl.fl)