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TEHRAN (FNA)- Chairman of Iran's Expediency Council Akbar
Hashemi Rafsanjani on Saturday underlined the country's resolve to
continue nuclear progress, stressing that no setback can push Tehran to
backtrack.

"No matter we are talking about (uranium) enrichment or uranium
swap, they (the West) should know that Iran is completely serious in
dealing with its nuclear issues," Rafsanjani said at an EC meeting here
in Tehran today.

"Our path is irreversible and we won't retreat," the former Iranian
president added.

Pointing to the United States' recent moves to increase pressures on
Iran over the country's nuclear activities, Rafsanjani said that the US
intended to multiply its political pressures on the Islamic Republic to
deter Tehran's progress or make it backtrack, but such efforts would
yield no fruit for Washington.

Rafsanjani's remarks came after the US Senate passed a legislation
to expand sanctions on foreign companies that invest in Iran's energy
sector.

The measure requires sanctions against foreign companies that sell
refined petroleum to Iran or help develop its refining capacity.

The bill needs to be reconciled with a similar legislation passed by
the US House in December.

Washington and its Western allies accuse Iran of trying to develop
nuclear we... >>>