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TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's top security body on Friday railed against the latest U.N. sanctions imposed over Tehran's controversial nuclear program, saying they show world powers are applying a double standard.

The Supreme National Security Council said that U.S. and other nuclear-armed powers have punished Iran with the sanctions even though it doesn't have nuclear weapons, while at the same time they support Israel, which is widely believed to have a sizable nuclear arsenal.

The United Nations Security council approved new sanctions this month, and this week the Obama administration and the European Union both added further measures.

The United States and its allies are concerned Iran's continued uranium enrichment could ultimately produce a nuclear weapon. Iran denies this, saying it only seeks nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and insists on its rights under the nonproliferation treaty to enrich uranium and produce nuclear fuel.

Friday's statement criticized world powers for targeting Iran but not the nuclear weapons of other states, especially Israel, which is widely believed to have a large arsenal.

Israel, which unlike Iran has not signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, does not confirm nor deny it has nuclear weapons.