'West will regret troubling Iran ships'

Iranian Commerce Minister Mehdi Ghazanfari


Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=135928§ionid=351020101


Iranian Commerce Minister Mehdi Ghazanfari has warned against any plan for the inspection of the country's cargo ships, saying perpetrators will regret the act.

Ghazanfari questioned West's authority to scrutinize Iranian ships and said, "Iran reserves the right to respond to inspections as any such attempts will be a move beyond the sanctions resolution," Mehr news agency reported on Friday.

He also slammed the fourth round of UN Security Council sanctions against Iran's nuclear program and said the new measure will fail to change the country's stance on its nuclear program.

The Iranian official further pointed out that the Islamic Republic will continue to "fully" support its cargo fleet.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had earlier warned that Tehran will retaliate if its cargo ships come under inspection and that it will delay resuming nuclear talks to teach the West the manner of talking "to our nation."

The UN Security Council passed a US-sponsored anti-Iran resolution on June 9 that imposes restrictions on the country's shipping industry in addition to other sectors.

Under the new sanctions regime, countries have the authority to inspect cargo ships, heading to or from Iran, in their own territorial waters.