Iran cleric calls West 'inconsequential'

United Press International

TEHRAN, June 27 (UPI) -- One of Iran's top clerics says that Western powers are "too inconsequential" to threaten Iran over its nuclear enrichment program.

"You are too small to punish a big country like Iran. We have repeatedly advised that using the literature (of sanctions) in dealing with Iran will not be in favor of the west," said Ayatollah Rafsanjani in a Friday prayer sermon, the Iranian news agency IRNA reported.

The former Iranian president said his country seeks nuclear power only for peaceful purposes and suggested that the West was using the wrong kind of language in addressing Iran.

"Today in Japan the members of the group of eight industrialized nations have adopted another resolution to apply a carrot and stick policy," he said. "This type of double-talk is unhelpful and will not lead to a solution. Only dialogue and negotiations will produce results."