Thursday, July 13 2006 17:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Tehran: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that Iran would not be intimidated by the West and was not afraid of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). "We are not afraid and will not blindly accept Western orders," Ahmadinejad was quoted by the news network Khabar as saying during a speech in Mianeh, north-western Iran. The president was referring to Wednesday's decision by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany to refer Iran back to the UNSC The move follows Tehran's refusal to reply before July 15-the beginning of the G8 summit in St Petersburg-to a Western proposal to resolve the international row over Iran's nuclear ambitions. "We are ready to negotiate within the framework of international laws but will not make any concessions over our irrevocable rights to pursue civil nuclear technology," Ahmadinejad said. The president once again reiterated that Iran would not give its final reply to the Western nuclear proposal before mid-August and warned the Europeans of being responsible for the failure of the nuclear talks.