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(Reuters) - U.N. resolutions aimed at increasing sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program "are not worth a penny" and Tehran will give no ground to pressure, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday.

He was addressing six world powers that are discussing imposing more far-reaching sanctions on the major oil producer.

Iran says its nuclear energy program is a peaceful bid to generate electricity, whereas Western powers see it as a camouflaged effort to develop the means to make atom bombs.

The Islamic Republic has repeatedly rejected international demands to halt its escalating uranium enrichment program.

"You should know that your resolutions are not worth a penny," Ahmadinejad said in a message to the big powers.

"If you think that by making fuss and propaganda you can force us to withdraw, you are wrong. The Iranian nation will not withdraw even one inch from its stance," he said in a speech to a crowd in southwestern Iran.

Ahmadinejad's remarks came as the six powers -- the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany -- continued to work on a new draft sanctions resolution, meeting in New York and talking by telephone.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke on the phone for an hour on Tuesday evening with Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo, discussing both North Korea and Iran, the State Department said on Wednesday.

"They talked about the status of discussions on Iran sanctio... >>>