Iran will react if ships inspected, says president Ahmadinejad

Iran will react swiftly if its commercial shipping or aviation are subjected to inspection, president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Sunday.

A UN security council resolution on June 9 imposed restrictions on Iranian shipping and other sectors to try to persuade Tehran to curb its nuclear enrichment activities.

Under the latest sanctions, countries would have the authority to inspect cargo ships heading to or from Iran.  

 "You should know whoever takes a decision against the Iranian nation, such as the so-called inspection of the Iranian ships or so-and-so towards its aircraft, will immediately receive Iran's reaction," told a conference in a speech broadcast live on radio.

Earlier this month, the European Union banned more planes operated by Iran Air from flying into the airspace of the 27-country bloc on safety grounds.

It denied reports there was a ban on Iranian commercial airliners refuelling in Germany and Britain as a result of US sanctions. However, some oil companies have stopped jet fuel supplies to Iranian aircraft outside Iran.                                           

Restating that the Islamic state did not seek hostility with any country, Ahmadinejad said, "We are in favour of friendship and logic."

Iran, the world's fifth largest oil producer, has been the subject of four rounds of UN sanctions over its defiance to suspend its uranium enrichment activities.

Iran says its nuclear programme is designed to produce electricity and sanctions will not bring about any change.